Deloitte to shut four UK offices as COVID-19 entrenches remote working
Global accounting and consulting firm Deloitte will close four of its 50 British offices as it reviews its real estate portfolio in the coronavirus pandemic, but will retain the staff on work-from-home contracts, it said on Saturday.
COVID-19 has changed working life for millions of people around the world, many of whom have switched from offices to working from home - reducing demand for office space and prompting companies to opt out of renewing leases.
Deloitte said it would shut its offices in Gatwick, Liverpool, Nottingham and Southampton, where about 500 people work.
“COVID-19 has fast-tracked our future of work programme, leading us to review our real estate portfolio,” Stephen Griggs, Deloitte’s UK managing partner, said in an emailed statement.
He said all staff based at the four locations slated for closure would continue to be employed by Deloitte under permanent work-from-home contracts.
“Any proposed change is to our ‘bricks and mortar’, not our presence in these regions”, he said.
The Financial Times newspaper first reported on the closures.
In April, Deloitte said it would be cutting pay for partners at its British businesses by 20% to protect jobs during the coronavirus crisis.
Deloitte said it would shut its offices in Gatwick, Liverpool, Nottingham and Southampton, where about 500 people work.
“COVID-19 has fast-tracked our future of work programme, leading us to review our real estate portfolio,” Stephen Griggs, Deloitte’s UK managing partner, said in an emailed statement.
He said all staff based at the four locations slated for closure would continue to be employed by Deloitte under permanent work-from-home contracts.
“Any proposed change is to our ‘bricks and mortar’, not our presence in these regions”, he said.
The Financial Times newspaper first reported on the closures.
In April, Deloitte said it would be cutting pay for partners at its British businesses by 20% to protect jobs during the coronavirus crisis.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
