UniCredit Ends Default Remote-Work Entitlement, Sparking Union Backlash

What changed at UniCredit

UniCredit announced it will stop the policy that let employees automatically work from home. Bloomberg reported it reviewed an internal UniCredit memo that communicated the change. The memo made clear that remote work "is not an automatic right for anyone" and that "the office is our standard place."

Timing and rules

The revised rules take effect immediately for leaders and managers, and they will apply starting in January for all other employees. The memo said "working from home is no longer be possible by default," and any deviations from the new rules will require approval.

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Reaction and context

Several trade unions issued a joint statement opposing the move and said "We expressed our complete opposition to this unilateral decision," calling it "unacceptable, both in substance and in the way it has been handled." A UniCredit spokesperson said "Managers are expected to maintain a consistent workplace presence, while flexibility continues to be managed according to business and individual needs." The story noted banks have been rolling back Covid-era remote-work policies introduced half a decade ago, citing examples including DNB Bank ASA, Natixis CIB, and Deutsche Bank AG.

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