Royal Bank of Canada urging employees to report 'more often' to offices

CEO says technology can't really replicate 'true sense of belonging and fun'

Royal Bank of Canada urging employees to report 'more often' to offices

Employees of Royal Bank of Canada are being asked to come to the workplace "more often," according to reports, which cited an internal memo from the institution's chief executive officer. The memo from CEO Dave McKay told employees that while work can be done productively outside the office, "true sense of belonging and fun" cannot be replicated by technology.

"For hybrid to continue to work effectively, we need to get the balance right and be a bit more deliberate about when and how we organize on site," said McKay in the email quoted by Bloomberg.

"That's why, as we move into the fall, I'm asking our leaders and colleagues to come together more often in person to work and collaborate."

The memo, however, did not detail how often they want employees to report to the workplace.

The bank is currently implementing a flexible work model for employees, according to a report by Reuters, and the company's CEO stressed that the hybrid work arrangement will stay.

McKay's memo further shows how employers, including government offices, are pushing for a post-pandemic normalcy after COVID-19 forced workers to work remotely at home for two years.

Read more: Employees forced back to the office twice as likely to quit than those with choice says new survey

In Canada, the Bank of Nova Scotia and the Bank of Montreal have also begun welcoming employees back to the workplace early this year.

It follows a previous delay on the implementation of return-to-office schemes due to the threat of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

Employers, however, are being urged to continue extending mental health support as they bring back employees to the workplace after a report from LifeWorks showed that mental health scores among workers declined to 64.1 points in June.

"We have not seen a collective mental health score this low since January, which signals that conversations surrounding employee wellbeing and support should be continuing to ramp up, not slow down," said Stephen Liptrap, Lifeworks president and CEO, in a statement. "Work is an essential part of life and the support that employers can provide help people deal with all issues – both personal and work related."

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