NatWest Scraps Remote-First Policy, Requiring 13,000 UK Staff in Office Twice Weekly

NatWest has told its 13,000 UK employees that they must attend the office at least two days a week, scrapping its remote-first policy from February 2027. The bank's decision, reported by The Guardian, has drawn a furious response from unions, which criticised the move to end flexible working arrangements for the entire UK workforce.

The change affects all UK-based staff, who will be required to come into the office at least twice a week under the new rules. NatWest had previously operated a remote-first approach, allowing employees greater flexibility over where they worked. The shift to a minimum office attendance requirement marks a significant reversal of that stance and places the lender among a growing number of employers tightening hybrid working policies.

Union representatives reacted angrily to the announcement, arguing that the bank was turning its back on working practices that had been in place for years. The dispute highlights the broader tension between employers seeking to bring staff back to offices and employees who have grown accustomed to remote arrangements since the pandemic.

For investors, the move is a reminder that operational and workforce decisions at major UK lenders can carry reputational and industrial-relations risk. NatWest's shares were not explicitly referenced in the report, and the financial impact of the policy change was not quantified. The February 2027 implementation date gives the bank and its staff more than a year to adjust to the new attendance requirements, but the union backlash suggests the issue could become a source of friction in the months ahead.