The global sportswear retailer has ordered staff at its headquarters and other global offices to return to the office at least four days a week starting July 1, Retail Week can reveal.

JD Sports’ non-store employees will be required to return to the office at least four days a week from July 1, making JD the latest retailer to tighten remote working policies implemented during the pandemic.

The new policy is set to impact employees at the retailer’s headquarters in Bury, UK, and other global offices, and will be implemented in phases over the summer.

Retail Week understands JD Sports will still allow a flexible approach, depending on colleagues’ roles and responsibilities, and the business believes the move will give employees more room for personal development, collaboration and teamwork. 

The retailer is also understood to have changed the policy to help ensure a fair and consistent approach across its global offices and the majority of JD colleagues based on the shop floor.

The move follows announcements from THG, Boots, L’Oréal and Amazon, who have each hauled back on their working-from-home policies this year. 

In January, THG scrapped its work-from-home policy for its Manchester head office staff, while Boots ordered its Nottingham, London and Weybridge employees to return to the office five days a week, stating that it wanted to make offices a “normal place of work for everybody for the whole working week”.

JD Sports posted a 3.6% increase in total sales to £10.5bn for the 53 weeks to February 3, 2024, while like-for-like and organic sales growth were up 4.2% and 8.4%, respectively, during the year.

Profit before tax for the 2024 financial year is expected to fall “in line” with the guidance of £915m to £935m.

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