Boots orders staff back to office five days a week

Employees working at the health and beauty retailer’s Nottingham, London and Weybridge offices will be required to return to the office five days a week from September.

Announcing the move, Boots said it wanted to make offices a “normal place of work for everybody for the whole working week”.

Managing director Seb James said in an email to staff this week: “In line with a majority of UK businesses, I want to start a thoughtful plan that gets us back to the office – whether Nottingham, London or Weybridge – being the normal place of work for everybody for the whole working week.

“There is no rush, and I know that we will need to upgrade some of our office facilities, but we will transition these by the start of the next financial year on September 1, six months away, when these new ways of working will go live.”

James added: “I have been very heartened by the way people have embraced the three-days-a-week model and I think that you will agree that the office is a much more fun and inspiring place on those days.

“There is no doubt in my mind that the informal conversations, brief catch-ups and ability to meet in groups in person has been far more effective – and better for our unique Boots culture – than the enforced formality of remote meetings. I know that has been true for me.”

A spokesperson from Boots said: “We are asking team members to make the office their usual place of work from 1 September. We really value the team spirit that comes with being together in person. There will of course still be times when working from home is necessary for either personal or business reasons.”