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By Iain Withers
LONDON, July 20 (Reuters) - Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS)
has told staff that the "vast majority" can continue to
work from home until 2021, despite the British government's
decision last week to scrap guidance encouraging people to work
from home from next month.
In a memo to staff on Monday seen by Reuters, RBS said it
would extend the option to work from home for more than 50,000
employees until 2021, extended from September previously.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday he hoped Britain
could return to normality by Christmas and gave employers "more
discretion" on returning staff to offices providing it was safe
to do so from Aug. 1.
"Like we've done throughout the pandemic the decision has
been made carefully, including considering the latest guidance
from the UK Government on Friday and our own health and safety
standards and procedures. It's a cautious approach but we feel
the right one to take currently," the RBS memo said.
Around 10,000 RBS staff have continued to work in branches,
95% of which have remained open, and some offices during the
pandemic.
In May around 400 additional RBS staff were asked to return
to offices, where protections include a limit of two people per
lift, thermal imaging, temperature checks and one-way systems in
corridors.
Very few additional RBS staff would be asked to return to
offices in the immediate future and "only where there is a
genuine business need or for wellbeing and mental health
reasons", RBS said in its memo.
(Reporting by Iain Withers; editing by Simon Jessop and Mark
Potter)
