American banks want to put an end to teleworking. Last May, Wells Fargo, the nation’s third-largest bank, fired a dozen employees accused of misleading their managers “by making them believe that they were working when that was not the case”, reports the Financial Times. .
Wells Fargo explains that these employees, while they were supposed to work remotely, had sought to “create the impression of active work by simulating activity on their computer keyboard”. In its press release, the bank’s management indicates that it requires its employees “respect for the highest standards” and that she does not tolerate “unethical behavior”.
The offending employees were all attached to the bank’s Investment and Wealth Management divisions. Most had been hired recently, but one had been on staff for seven years. Wells Fargo does not specify the techniques they implemented to “simulate” an activity or whether they were using a company computer or their personal computer.
Banks were among the first employers in the United States to call their employees back to the office as soon as the pandemic ended, according to the Financial Times. And a few weeks ago, Finra, one of the main regulatory bodies in the sector, demanded that establishments now more closely regulate the working conditions of their employees.
Human resources departments have advised that home inspections will be required to comply with new Finra guidelines. And that, under these conditions, maintaining hybrid working arrangements risked becoming difficult. At Barclays and Citigroup, we have drawn all the consequences: since the 1er June, employees are required to be present in the office five days a week. Remote work is just a memory.
