Home Australia Coles makes huge WFH decision – here’s what it means for its thousands of workers

Coles makes huge WFH decision – here’s what it means for its thousands of workers

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Coles has tightened the reins on working from home rules for staff at the company's giant Melbourne head office (file image)

Coles has tightened the reins on work-from-home rules for staff at the company’s giant Melbourne head office.

A memo from CEO Leah Weckert, posted on social media Wednesday, says all central office staff must work in the office one day a week, starting next week.

Then, over the course of the next six months, staff will need to be in the office three days a week. One of those days at the office “should be” Monday or Friday, says Weckert.

Coles has around 5,000 employees in its offices.

“By recognizing the diversity of our workforce, each team will transition to our new ways of working at a pace that suits them, allowing time to plan and adapt,” Ms Weckert said.

“I encourage you to consider any arrangements you need to make to facilitate our new ways of working.”

Coles’ head office is in Hawthorn East, in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. The entire complex consists of 12 interconnected office buildings, two underground car parks and a multi-storey car park.

Coles has five more years to run its 15-year lease for the 62,000 square meters, information from the property developer who worked on the recent extension shows.

Coles has tightened the reins on working from home rules for staff at the company’s giant Melbourne head office (file image)

A commenter on the CEO memo says the “huge building and parking lot” fits thousands of people, with a cafe, convenience store and a chef for breakfast and lunch every day of the work week.

But the changes also apply to Coles’ other offices across the country.

Coles’ liquor division has been transitioning to the new scheme in recent months, and for those staff the three-day-a-week rule will come into effect on January 6.

“Our business and our ways of working have evolved significantly over recent years and I hope this note provides clarity on our commitment to providing flexibility and creating opportunities for teams to physically connect, collaborate and win together,” said Ms. Weckert. it says in the note.

A Coles spokesperson said the changes “balance” flexibility with in-person collaboration.

“We know that many of our team have already returned to support centers for a few days a week, and this change is about how we continue to foster a collaborative working environment and support the development of our people to deliver for our customers. ‘ said the spokesperson.

The NSW Government, Amazon, Dell, Tabcorp and Flight Center have been some of the recent major employers ordering staff to return to the office.

Survey results released last month show more than half of 500 Australian tech companies are losing staff to companies with more flexible working arrangements.

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