Staff at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have warned of industrial action if proposals to increase office attendance requirements are implemented.
Unite the Union has stated that more than 90 percent of its members would take action if the current hybrid policy – requiring employees to be in the office for 40 percent of their working time, or roughly two days per week – is changed.
The union’s letter to the FCA board follows an indicative ballot among members, which returned a 93 percent vote in favour of action short of strike. The dispute centres around potential changes to the FCA’s hybrid working framework and concerns about transparency and consultation during the process.
The union claims staff are being asked to return to the office more frequently despite hybrid working having shown positive outcomes across productivity, wellbeing and inclusion. The letter warns that mandatory increases in office attendance would amount to a pay cut for many employees due to increased commuting and childcare costs.
Hybrid working model under pressure
Unite’s letter criticises the FCA’s approach, stating that changes to hybrid working risk undermining trust and harming morale.
“Hybrid working has enabled teams to remain highly productive, collaborative and engaged,” the letter reads. “A unilateral increase in office attendance not only risks undermining that progress – it also threatens trust, morale and retention.”
Employees based in locations outside London, particularly Leeds, are expected to be disproportionately affected. The union said increasing office days would make it “impractical” for some employees to continue working at the FCA and would damage efforts to maintain a regional presence.
The union also raised concerns about diversity, equity and inclusion. It claimed that Occupational Health had been instructed not to recommend home working for disabled staff, even when medically indicated. Unite argued this would significantly affect the FCA’s ability to deliver on its DEI agenda.
According to research by International Workplace Group (IWG), hybrid work is considered nearly twice as important as parental leave in supporting women in the workplace.
Staff representation and internal communication under scrutiny
The union raised concerns about how the review process has been conducted. It accused senior leadership of failing to engage meaningfully with the Staff Representative Group (SRG) and withholding key information, including guidance given to consultants. It cited an article briefly published on internal platform Pulse, which they say implied decisions were pre-determined.
According to the letter, SRG representatives feel “let down”, with several resignations already submitted and more anticipated. Unite stated, “There have been resignations from the SRG, and it is understood that more may follow.” The union added that unanswered questions from employees during a recent Town Hall – including one that received over 600 likes – fuelled the perception that employee concerns are being ignored.
Recent research found that UK workers are increasingly rejecting RTO mandates. In early 2022, 54 percent of workers said they would comply with a five-day in-office requirement. By mid-2024, this figure had dropped to 42 percent. Over the same period, the proportion of employees who would consider leaving their job to retain remote work options increased from 40 percent to 50 percent.
Legal expert: trust and communication are critical
Abbie Head, solicitor in the employment team at law firm Birketts LLP, told HR Review, “This highlights the complex balancing act employers face in the post-pandemic workplace.
“Any shift in working arrangements should be approached with meaningful engagement, clear communication and a genuine effort to understand staff concerns, particularly where there is a strong existing practice for remote working. Threats of industrial action highlight the importance of maintaining trust and transparency throughout the process.”
According to Head, disputes of this kind may also raise legal considerations, particularly if existing employment contracts or remote-working arrangements are not properly reviewed or if policy changes appear discriminatory.
