Civil servants face a crackdown on working from home as ministers plan the end of the ‘Tuesday to Thursday’ office culture in Whitehall that is blamed for plummeting productivity since the pandemic. The Telegraph has the story.
Downing Street is preparing to issue new guidance to all Government departments ordering them to make sure more staff return to their desks.
It will target mandarins who regularly choose to log in remotely on Mondays and Fridays, a trend that has prompted growing alarm in No. 10.
Jeremy Quin, the Paymaster General, will launch the push as part of efforts to boost public sector productivity, which has plummeted post-Covid.
Government sources told the Telegraph that ministers have become increasingly concerned by the impact of working from home on Whitehall delivery.
They are determined to reverse the pattern, which has seen mandarins choose to attend the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Departments were on average only half full last week, according to official statistics, with none getting more than two thirds of staff at their desks.
Mr. Quin has ordered Whitehall managers to draw up new advice on the best ways the Government can drive up those attendance figures.
A source close to him told the Telegraph: “This isn’t some fishing expedition against the Civil Service – it’s about delivering for the taxpayer.
“To be clear, we expect civil servants to be in the office wherever needed to drive delivery.
“The taxpayer forks out for Government buildings and rightly expects them to be used.
“Equally, junior staff cannot be expected to learn from behind their desks at home.”
Worth reading in full.
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