According to Thomas Gottstein, Credit Suisse CEO, full-time office work is not what employees want. During an interview with Bloomberg, he mentioned that “It´s unrealistic” to expect staff to return to pre-pandemic arrangements.
Credit Suisse joins other European banks that are embracing remote work. Last year the company announced that it would give its Swiss employees the freedom to choose what days they want to work from the office and for how long.
Credit Suisse CEO Believes Flexibility is the Best Option
American banks and companies have taken a more aggressive take in terms of remote work plans. For instance, big tech companies such as Apple and Facebook are determined to bring employees back to the office. Banks such as Bank of America and JPMorgan believe in-person collaboration should remain a priority.
In contrast, in its majority, European banks have built more flexible arrangements. For Thomas Gottstein, the era of in-person work has ended. Nowadays, it’s all about flexibility and understanding employees’ needs.
Gottstein revealed the struggles at Credit Suisse when the bank announced its flexible policies. They expected to have at least 66% of employees working full-time at the office, but only 37% came to the office on a daily basis. Instead of strengthening an in-person mandate, Gottstein said the bank would continue to lean into the new employee-led schedule and embrace a hybrid work model, with employees working from home on certain days and going to the office on others.