Supermarket giant wants 10,000 employees onsite three days a week
Supermarket giant Woolworths is taking a phased approach to office return that will see 10,000 employees onsite three days a week by October, according to reports.
A new policy from the supermarket giant revealed that employees are expected to be in-office at least once a week starting June 2.
This will go up to twice a week by August 4, and then three a week by October 6, as reported by news.com.au.
The policy affects 10,000 employees in support office roles, according to the report.
A note from Woolworths Group chief executive Amanda Bardwell and chief people officer Caryn Katsikogianis attributed the policy to the company's measures to "better balance the needs of our customers and business."
"A key priority for us in 2025 is to create more opportunities for in-person connection to increase our responsiveness and better serve our customers," the note read as reported by The Australian Financial Review.
"This means we will be introducing clearer guidelines to optimise our hybrid ways of working, with an expectation that our support office team members connect with their team in the office a minimum of three days per week, with the flexibility to work remotely for the remaining two days."
The policy adds Woolworths to the growing list of organisations that are introducing office-return policies to employees. Other firms include Amazon, Coles, and Tabcorp`.
In fact, data from Robert Half found that 39% of employees are already expected to come to the office five days a week as of June 2024.
Office-return policies come despite findings that organisations are enjoying bigger talent pools because of work-from-home arrangements, according to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia.
A recent survey from news.com.au also revealed that 65% of employees believe that 31% of employees believe that the optimal number of WFH days should be one to two days.
Andrew Brushfield, director at Robert Half, previously warned employers that mandated office days can be a "double-edged sword for workers."
"While they foster collaboration and connection, they can also lead to resentment and disengagement if not implemented and justified thoughtfully," he said.
"Even with staff coming to terms with attending the office more frequently, the key for employers is to create an environment that highlights the positives of in-office work and sparks joy, not dread."
