HSBC has moved 1,200 employees to permanent remote working contracts in the UK.
Up to 70% of the bank’s 1,800 call centre workers based across Britain has decided not to return back to their offices, workforce union Unite announced.
The move is the biggest indictor yet of the nation’s financial sector’s changes to be enforced as the country continues its robust, world-leading vaccination programme.
HSBC’s move to base some staff permanently at home goes further than most of its rivals, which are opting for a mixed approach with hybrid modesl in place.
An HSBC UK spokesman said: “We are in discussions with contact centre colleagues who serve HSBC UK retail customers about ways that we can offer flexibility on work location while ensuring the way we work meets our customers’ needs.
“These discussions are continuing.”
Unite said HSBC has offered staff a £300 per year remote working fund to cover additional expenses such as higher heating and electricity bills.
HSBC has closed a call centre in Swansea since the pandemic.
Its main two remaining call centres are in Leeds and Hamilton, Scotland.
