Schroders has decided to permanently embrace flexible working across its business to allow its employees to tailor their working practices to the needs of their clients, their business responsibilities and their individual working patterns
According to the asset manager, employees will still have to ensure face-to-face interaction to maintain the firm’s culture of “collaboration, innovation and strong productivity”, saying the office will remain an important part of its approach to flexible working.
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However, from now on employees will be free to make their own decisions on when, how and where they would prefer to work to best support their clients, and whether or not a personal meeting is warranted.
The move comes as companies across the globe are forced to embrace more flexible working practices as a result of the lockdowns imposed to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, with workers in a large number of industries working from home for prolonged periods of time.
Emma Holden, Schroders’ global head of human resources, said: “Schroders embraced flexible working long before lockdown, and the investments we have made in remote-working technology over the years meant our business has not missed a beat since March. But in the space of a few months, we have made 20 years’ progress in attitudes towards flexible working, and we are going to continue with this momentum.
“We believe re-thinking the rulebook on flexibility will ultimately prove a huge shot in the arm for Schroders’ productivity in the long term, while also highlighting Schroders as a forward-thinking employer of choice.”
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