Deloitte US asks India staff to return to office two days a week

Deloitte LLP has told its staff in India to show up in office at least two days a week or risk negative performance reviews, as the Big-Four accounting giant starts tightening its pandemic-era flexible work policy.

The new rule becomes effective starting Oct. 1 for employees at the firm's seven offices that help clients or provide back-office support across the South Asian country, according to an internal memo seen by Bloomberg News. 

The missive also said that staff may have to attend office on schedule because of space considerations, and failure to comply with the mandate will be tracked and taken into account during performance reviews.

A spokesperson for Deloitte said in a statement that the firm's hybrid working model is "not one-size-fits-all." Without commenting on the RTO plan, the statement added that the approach is "designed for clients, businesses, team leaders and professionals to co-locate when it matters most to the performance of our work and the development and well-being of our professionals."

The move by Deloitte US comes about a year after rival PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP clamped down on remote working in the U.K. by telling its staff and partners there to spend at least three days a week in office or with clients. Similarly, some of the global financial giants including JPMorgan Chase & Co. have ordered their employees to return to the office five days a week, while HSBC Holdings Plc told its U.K. retail banking staff to expect smaller bonuses if they don't attend office frequently enough. 

Deloitte's U.S. tax practice earlier this year introduced rules that require staff to spend two to three days a week in the office, or face a potential bonus hit, the Financial Times has reported.