Mark Read, CEO of WPP, has hit back at criticism of his return-to-office mandate, insisting that the outcry was not representative of WPP’s employee base.
Speaking to UK trade title PRWeek, Read said: “Listen, I know for some people this is going to be a change but we are going to introduce this new policy co-operatively. It doesn’t come in until April and we’ll use that time to talk to our people about how to implement it carefully and pragmatically.
“We appreciate that many people have responsibilities such as dropping their kids at school or caring for an elderly relative, and we’re going to continue much of the flexibility we’ve experienced over the last few years. That said, with many of our clients in the office three, four and increasingly five days a week, we think this is the right move for the long-term success of the company and people’s careers.”
Last week, Read circulated a note to WPP’s more than 110,000 staff around the world that they’ll be required to work in the office four days per week and on at least two Fridays per month.
“Spending more time together is important to all of us, and we are making a change to help that happen. From the beginning of April this year, the expectation across WPP will be that most of us spend an average of four days a week in the office,” said Read in his note.
WPP’s staff have reacted poorly, to say the least.
The day after Read’s announcement “concerned WPP employees” launched a petition saying “the mental and social effects on employees due to such rigid work regimes can be extensive”.
It also said that the evidence Read cited showing working in the office is more productive is “anecdotal” and “either does not exist or has been misrepresented”.
Speaking anonymously to PRWeek WPP employees said Read’s note “went down like a cup of cold sick” and staff “stopped working in stunned silence”.
“If one of our clients told us they were going to do this, the most junior consultant would talk them out of it. I guarantee this will be used as a ‘worst practice’ crisis/internal comms case study for years to come. Mark Read should not be head of a communications company, frankly,” the add.
Another staffer added: “They feel trust is out the window and presenteeism is back in. People like being together – that’s not a problem – but the overriding of all other policies, some very well thought through and working (including driving the results listed in the email) are thrown out for an ill-conceived mandate.”
Other holdcos have mandated staff returning to the office. Publicis, Omnicom and Havas, for instance, have asked their staff for three days in the office.
