HSBC moves over 1,200 UK staff to permanent home working

Bank offering those who opt for scheme $550 a year to cover expenses like electricity bills

The permanent work-from-home contracts offered by HSBC in Britain are one of the strongest signs yet of how banks are locking in changes to work patterns to cut costs as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The permanent work-from-home contracts offered by HSBC in Britain are one of the strongest signs yet of how banks are locking in changes to work patterns to cut costs as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. PHOTO: REUTERS

LONDON • HSBC is moving more than 1,200 employees in Britain to permanent work-from-home contracts, in one of the strongest indications yet of how banks are locking in changes to work patterns to cut costs as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Around 70 per cent of the bank's 1,800 call centre workers based across England, Wales and Scotland had volunteered to never return to the office, Unite, one of Britain's biggest employment unions, told Reuters.

Scores of companies have quickly cemented hybrid working and cut office space, but HSBC's move to base some staff permanently at home goes further than most of its rivals, which are opting for a mixed approach.

Such changes could lead to well-being concerns over the long term if not handled properly, Unite said.

An HSBC UK spokesman said: "We are in discussions with contact centre colleagues who serve HSBC UK retail customers about ways that we can offer flexibility on work location while ensuring the way we work meets our customers' needs. These discussions are continuing."

Unite said HSBC has offered staff a £300 (S$550) per year working from home top-up payment to cover additional expenses such as higher heating and electricity bills.

Mr Dominic Hook, the union's national officer, said the contract changes for the 70 per cent opting in were being finalised, and those taking it up are expected to come into the office only for training.

A quarter of the bank's staff declined the offer as they wanted to work in the office at least some of the time, while 5 per cent preferred to go back to the office permanently.

HSBC and other British banks have started to cut office space partly because employees are working from home.

HSBC had already closed a call centre in Swansea, South Wales, since the pandemic. Its main two remaining call centres are in Leeds in northern England and Hamilton in Scotland.

Mr Hook said the union was broadly supportive of the change as it was voluntary, but warned other banks against forcing their employees to stay at home if they did not want to and to ensure staff did not feel isolated and were properly supported.

"HSBC is at the forefront of this," Mr Hook said. "If it's genuinely voluntary and people's rights are protected, then that's fine, but people need to go in with their eyes wide open.

"After a year it may not seem that bad, but after five it might feel different."

REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 09, 2021, with the headline HSBC moves over 1,200 UK staff to permanent home working. Subscribe