Big Four firm PwC UK has ramped up surveillance of employees’ office attendance by monitoring key card usage and WiFi connections to ensure staff meet in-office requirements.
The Financial Times reports that the firm has rolled out a “traffic-light” system allowing senior partners to monitor staff attendance, with those lagging behind marked as “amber” or “red” on the dashboard, as reported by City AM.
Last September, PwC directed staff to spend at least three days weekly – or 60 per cent of their time – with clients or in the office.
Should someone’s attendance drop below 60 per cent, they receive an “amber” rating, whilst falling below 40 per cent triggers a “red” status on a dashboard that launched in April.
The business model, particularly its consultancy division, means associates and partners may be required to work from clients’ premises when fulfilling client briefs.
Beyond tracking key cards, the system also monitors work laptop WiFi connections, indicating whether staff members are present at their client’s office.
The FT reports that those breaching the policy could face formal disciplinary action, with performance reviews and bonuses potentially impacted.
Nevertheless, the FT noted that heightened staff surveillance has sparked concerns about tracking methods, with one source quoted as requesting greater transparency. In January, it came to light that EY, a rival Big Four firm, was tracking its UK employees’ card key swipes to ensure adherence to its hybrid working guidelines.
The City has been wrestling with the issue of office attendance over the past year, with several financial firms ramping up attendance monitoring, while others, including Blackrock, have done away with flexible working structures.
A spokesperson for PwC commented: “There are clear benefits to in-person work for both our people and clients, and we have seen these borne out since adjusting our approach to hybrid working at the beginning of this year.
“Our approach is consistent with other businesses and is recognised and accepted by the vast majority of our people. We always listen to feedback and are committed to regular, clear and transparent communications about expectations.
“The dashboard ensures our people have easy access to their attendance data, so they can manage and plan their time in a way that works for them, our teams and our clients.
“We remain committed to flexibility, including the option for people to condense their usual working hours and finish early on Friday lunchtime for six weeks in the summer,” they added.
