Citi Aims to Increase New York-Area Staffing in Early October
Citi Aims to Increase New York-Area Staffing in Early October
(Bloomberg) -- Citigroup Inc. has a long-awaited question for its workforce in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut: Do you want to return to the office next month?
That’s the main thrust of a survey the firm began circulating Wednesday to gauge interest in partially repopulating offices that largely emptied out in March across the tri-state area. Executives also are looking to better understand what’s keeping people away. About 5% of staff in the area come in presently.
Even if there’s strong interest, Citigroup will cap daily attendance at 30% for the time being, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing personnel information. And if fewer are willing to return, managers won’t pressure them.
The survey underscores Citigroup’s measured approach to office staffing during the coronavirus pandemic. The company has been slower to return people working from home than peers such as JPMorgan Chase & Co., which has asked that 50% of its investment bankers be on site on a given workday. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said Wednesday it will implement a rotational policy to return employees who can come in to their regular workplace.
Those at Citigroup who express interest in returning will get more information about the process in coming weeks. The goal is to start ramping up office attendance on Oct. 5 across the region, including in Buffalo, New York. Returning won’t necessarily meaning coming into the office every day.
The survey also requests that employees who opt to say home provide a general reason so that executives can better understand the situation and potentially offer accommodations. For instance, people uncomfortable taking the subway are being asked if they would be more at ease riding a bank-provided shuttle from transportation hubs such as Grand Central Terminal.
Some of New York’s largest employers have started increasing staffing to help get new hires up to speed and better support local shops and restaurants. Still, those efforts have been snarled by employees’ fear of public transportation and by delays reopening schools. Citigroup recently rolled out new benefits to help staff keep their kids learning.
“I know that I’m not alone feeling some anxiety around balancing work and my children’s education,” Sara Wechter, the bank’s head of human resources, wrote on LinkedIn last month.
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