WPP's Bold Move: Are Fridays the New Thursdays in the Office?

WPP's New Office Mandate

WPP has announced that starting in April, employees will be required to work in the office at least four days a week. This decision comes from CEO Mark Read, who communicated this change to the company's 111,000 staff globally. The new requirement includes working from the office at least two Fridays per month, allowing employees the flexibility to choose their remote work days.

Importance of In-Person Collaboration

In his message, Read emphasized the significance of spending more time together, stating:

“Spending more time together is important to all of us, and we are making a change to help that happen.”
He acknowledged the lessons learned during the pandemic about flexibility and trust, ensuring that the transition will consider individual circumstances, such as caring responsibilities and health issues. For those in fully remote roles, these arrangements will remain unchanged.

Justifying the Decision

Read backed the new mandate with data showing that higher office attendance correlates with better employee engagement, improved client scores, and enhanced financial performance. As clients increasingly expect in-person collaboration, WPP aims to deliver better results.

“In every single decision we make, we should ask ourselves, ‘how will this help us do even better work for our clients?’”
This strategic focus is seen as essential for WPP to stand out amid industry mergers and competition.

WPP's Competitive Edge

As the first major holding company to enforce a four-day office requirement, WPP differentiates itself from competitors like Publicis and Omnicom, who only request three in-office days.
However, details regarding potential consequences for non-compliance with this mandate remain unclear, as WPP did not respond to inquiries about enforcement measures.

Local Office Space

WPP staff will have access to the new WPP campus in Barangaroo, enhancing their working environment and collaboration opportunities.