Barclays is facing growing staff opposition to plans requiring thousands of UK employees to work from the office at least three days a week from October.

The bank currently requires many full-time workers to attend the office two days a week, while its new policy will require senior leaders to attend at least four days, according to staff communications reported by the Financial Times and BBC.

Unite, which represents about 36,000 of Barclays’ 45,000 UK employees, has organised an open letter calling for the changes to be reversed or delayed while consultations continue. The union said thousands of workers had signed the letter, with the number continuing to increase.

Rick Coyle, a national officer at Unite, said: “Thousands of employees have signed the letter and the figure continues to rise.” He said the union would discuss the “strength of feeling” with Barclays in the coming days.

Unite is seeking exemptions for employees whose journeys to work exceed 40 minutes or 35 miles each way, alongside greater flexibility for carers and staff who need to travel during cheaper off-peak periods. The union is also calling for a one-off payment to help employees meet higher commuting costs.

The union said 94 per cent of respondents to its latest survey wanted the changes delayed until consultations had concluded. It said employees had raised concerns over additional travel and childcare costs, while calling for greater flexibility around school holidays and wrap-around childcare.

Barclays said its minimum office requirements vary between business areas according to the nature of the work and operational needs. A spokesperson said most employees who are not already attending three days a week would move to the broader requirement, while senior leaders would spend an additional day in the office.

The bank said it recognised “the benefits of balancing flexibility for colleagues with the importance of working together in our physical locations”. It added that additional office attendance for senior leaders was intended to support collaboration, decision-making and leadership visibility.

The dispute places Barclays among major financial institutions tightening hybrid-working arrangements adopted during the Covid-19 pandemic. The BBC reported that office requirements can differ between teams, with some investment banking employees already expected to work from the office five days a week.

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