Wells Fargo details additional plans for pending return to office for employees
Wells Fargo will require a large number of its employees to return to the office a minimum of three days a week beginning this fall, according to a new internal memo.
In a message sent to employees on Friday, Chief Operating Officer Scott Powell outlined expectations for Wells Fargo’s return to work plans. “Our schedules will mostly resemble our pre-pandemic working approach, with additional flexibility,” Powell said in the memo.
The bank is one of Charlotte’s largest employers, with more than 27,000 workers in the area. The bank had more than 260,000 total employees as of January 2021.
Return to the office will begin Sept. 7, Powell said in the memo, and continue through October. Returns will be organized by job function and location.
“We are encouraging all employees to spend more time in shared workspaces,” Powell said.
Employees in enterprise functions — departments like finance, corporate risk and human resources — will spend a minimum of three days a week in the office, with the flexibility of up to two days a week of remote work.
Guidelines may vary by department, role and location, Powell’s memo noted.
Wells Fargo officials previously told the Observer that the bank had targeted Labor Day for a return to “a more normal operating model.”
Returning to work at Wells Fargo
Here are some other features of the bank’s updated return to office plans, according to Powell’s memo:
- Beginning July 19, the bank will begin collecting information on employees’ vaccination status, “to better enable our focus on health and safety in the workplace,” Powell said in the memo. “We have prioritized your privacy and personal choice throughout this pandemic, and have considered both carefully before taking this step.” Choosing not to get vaccinated will not influence an employee’s ability to work remotely, Powell added.
- There are no changes to in-office work expectations for Wells Fargo employees who work in branches, advisor locations and other customer-facing locations. Many of those employees have been working in-person for the duration of the pandemic.
- Beginning Sept. 7, employees in operations and contact center roles will spend some days or weeks working in-person and some days or weeks working remotely.That rotational schedule will be temporary.
- Most employees on the bank’s technology team will have the option to continue to work remotely.
