Bank of America has instituted a strict return-to-office policy for employees that threatens “disciplinary action” for those who don’t comply, according to documents seen by Bank of America. Financial Times.
The company reportedly sent “letters of instruction” to workers who did not come into the office to warn them that they could face problems in a matter of weeks if their behavior does not change.
“Failure to meet workplace excellence expectations applicable to your role within two weeks of the date of this notification may result in further disciplinary action,” one of the letters reads. Financial Times.
Related: Bye Bye Summer Fridays: Goldman Sachs Employees Required to Return to Office 5 Days a Week Amid Turmoil
Second Insiders, the bank began sending out letters late last year, and most employees who receive one have received some initial warning before the formal document.
Bank of America requires most employees to come to the office at least three days a week, a policy implemented in October 2022. Employees in customer-facing roles are encouraged to return to the office five days a week.
“You are receiving a letter of instruction for failing to meet the minimum workplace expectations set forth in the Workplace Excellence Guidelines despite requests and reminders to do so,” reads a letter purportedly posted by an employee of the Bank of America. “You are expected to adhere to all expectations of your role. Failure to meet the expectations of your role in the future may result in further action.”
Bank of America currently employs approximately 160,000 people.
The bank is not the first to crack down on workplace policies among employees.
This summer, Goldman Sachs reportedly told employees they needed to be in the office five days a week. However, when asked about the protocol, the bank said it was “simply reminding our employees of our existing policy.”
As of Friday afternoon, Bank of America was down just over 5.3% for a year.
Related: Amazon CEO Andy Jassy cracks down on return-to-office policy