This company has enabled 40,000 employees to work virtually for life

The policy departs from the rigid attitudes of the accounting industry, known to encourage people to spend late evenings in the office. Other major accounting firms, such as Deloitte and KPMG, have also given employees more choices to work remotely in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

PwC Deputy Head of Human Resources Yolanda Seals-Coffield said in an interview that the company was the first in its industry to offer full-time virtual work to customer service employees. Support staff and PwC employees in areas such as human resources and legal operations that clients do not face already had the opportunity to work virtually full time.

PwC employees who choose to work virtually should come to the office a maximum of three days per month for in-person appointments such as critical team meetings, client visits and learning sessions, Seals said. Coffield.

“We have learned a lot through the pandemic, and working virtually, as we think about the evolution of flexibility, is a natural next step,” Seals-Coffield said. “If you’re an employee in good standing, customer service and want to work virtually, you can, period. “

Location is factored into the compensation of PwC employees, however, Seals-Coffield said. Employees who choose to work practically full-time in a cheaper location would see their pay cut, she added.

Alphabet Inc.’s Google also bases employee wages on their location, those who work from home all the time potentially earn less.

Most American white-collar workers have been working from home since the pandemic took hold in March 2020. Business leaders have struggled to bring employees back, comparing their management style and preferences to risks such as more variants. contagious diseases and workers rejecting vaccines.

PwC said in a note to employees this week that it is proposing the new policy to attract and retain talent and become more diverse. PwC partners whose team members choose to be in the office on a regular basis will not be allowed to work remotely.

“We are confident that we can manage hybrid teams,” said Seals-Coffield. She added that PwC research suggests that 30-35% of its eligible workers will accept the company’s offer. PwC has a total of 55,000 US employees, and with its new policy, the majority will be able to work virtually if they wish.

Seals-Coffield said PwC does not plan to make any significant changes to its real estate footprint due to the new policy. The company plans to use its offices in a different and more collaborative way, she said, without elaborating. PwC has its global headquarters in London and its US headquarters in New York.

In addition to providing auditing and accounting services, PwC consults with companies on issues such as getting back to the office. Asked how PwC’s new policy would inform its advice to clients on the subject, Seals-Coffield said other organizations are deciding how to approach it “in a way that works for their people.”

In June, PwC announced it would hire 100,000 people over the next five years in jobs that would help clients account for diversity and the climate. The company currently employs 284,000 people worldwide.

A spokesperson for Deloitte said Thursday that “the range of time spent at client sites, at Deloitte offices and remotely will vary.”

The company said in June that all of its 20,000 employees in Britain would be allowed to choose in the future whether they worked from home or not.