In a bid to enforce its hybrid working policy, EY, a leading consulting giant, has resorted to tracking staff attendance through turnstile access data. Some teams at the company in the UK are reportedly not following the company’s return-to-office rules, as reported by print news media.
Partners at EY are reportedly being presented with anonymized turnstile data and swipe card entry information, providing insights into how frequently staff members are physically present in the offices. EY’s hybrid working policy stipulates that employees should attend the office at least twice a week. However, it has been revealed that over 50% of some teams are not adhering to this requirement.
According to sources, some partners are being shown data that correlates office attendance with mid-year performance ratings. The numbers are meant to encourage teams to follow the hybrid working rules by offering rewards rather than punishments.
EY is now following the lead of other finance and consulting companies by enforcing strict return-to-office rules. Citigroup, for instance, began monitoring employee attendance through swipe card data in August, with potential disciplinary actions for consistent non-compliance. JPMorgan, on the other hand, required employees to return to the office three to five days a week, collecting data to assess adherence to in-office quotas.
PWC’s Kevin Ellis said that being in the office is crucial for career growth, especially for junior workers, given the rise of AI taking over some job tasks.
EY has not yet commented when asked and the industry is still figuring out how to balance remote work as well as office presence amid the evolving work culture.
