NatWest has announced a significant change to its remote working policy, requiring 13,000 staff to increase their in-office attendance from two days per month to two days per week starting in February 2027. This decision has sparked outrage from the bank's staff union, Unite, which argues that the move disproportionately affects some of NatWest's lowest-paid employees.
Background
The banking group, which operates under the Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest, and Coutts brands, will enforce this new policy on its nearly 40,000 UK employees. Unite has described the change as a "kick in the teeth" for those who have adapted their lives around flexible working arrangements that were expanded during the Covid pandemic.
Union Response
Unite's general secretary, Sharon Graham, expressed strong disapproval of the decision, stating:
“"This is yet another kick in the teeth for workers who have suffered years of real-terms pay cuts and who are struggling to make ends meet. NatWest’s decision is completely out of touch with the realities facing its workforce."
