Digital bank Revolut is set to require graduate employees to work from the office for at least three days a week in a shift away from its longstanding “remote first” approach, the Financial Times has reported.

Citing people familiar with the matter, the paper said the London-headquartered bank had told incoming graduates that they would be required to be in the office for the majority of the week.

Until now, Revolut’s graduate hires could decide whether to work from home, in the office, or from abroad in line with its standard policy.

Last year, chief executive Nik Stronsky told employees that Revolut cared “more about what you do than where you do it,” and that its flexible working policy would remain in place so long as productivity did not fall as a result.

The bank has largely eschewed the perks offered by other banks to bring employees back to the office such as climbing walls or drinks trolleys, the FT reported, instead promoting flexible working as a key benefit to graduates under the banner: “No ping pong tables or bean bag chairs, just benefits you actually want”.

The bank currently lets employees work from abroad for 120 days a year to “explore new cultures while staying productive and connected,” but is curtailing the approach for junior hires under the belief that in-person working will help their development, the FT said.

Revolut confirmed in a statement to the paper that it is changing its policy for 2027 graduates and interns, saying that “the early stages of a career benefit from in-person collaboration and mentoring,” while adding that its policy for other staff remains unchanged.

A person close to Revolut told the paper that those who successfully completed the graduate programme would move to regular, remote-first contracts.

This new position brings it in line with many traditional financial institutions that have cut back on remote work since the pandemic.

However, even those most opposed to remote work have made some concessions. Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase, both vocal opponents of the practice, have allowed employees living in cities where world cup matches are being held to request home working on match days, according to the FT.

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