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As government U-turns, here’s how banks were trying to tempt staff back to the office

Big City firms were being creative with perks to get staff back to work — but may have to rethink if the government's formal advice changes

By

James Booth

A commuter walks down steps to the north bank of the River Thames by the Millennium Footbridge with St Paul's Cathedral in the background in central London on September 7, 2020.
A commuter walks down steps to the north bank of the River Thames by the Millennium Footbridge with St Paul's Cathedral in the background in central London on September 7, 2020. Photo: Adrian Dennis/Getty Images

The government’s turnaround on its home-working advice will leave many finance firms and their staff in a state of confused limbo, arriving as many institutions are ramping up their return-to-work plans.’

On 22 September, senior minister Michael Gove told the BBC that people should be working from home “if they can”. Asked if that represented a shift in position from July, when Prime Minister Boris Johnson said people “should go back to work now if you can”, the minister replied “Yes”, the BBC reported.

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