Deloitte wants some employees in US to come to office to get performance bonuses; India operations remain unaffected

In a shift from its hybrid work policy, Deloitte has asked its employees in the US tax division that office attendance will be a factor during their performance evaluations.

The move could potentially affect the bonuses of these employees, as staff in this division is now expected to come into the office at least two to three times a week, according to a report by the Financial Times. This marks a stricter policy on attendance within the company.

“Being present at a Deloitte office or client site will now be considered in your … performance evaluations,” Katie Zinn, the tax practice's chief talent officer, said in a message sent to employees, as per FT, which has viewed the same.

According to the publication, Zinn's message further says that employees must “ensure in-person collaboration 2-3 days (50 per cent) weekly”.

Deloitte goes for a policy shift?

Deloitte, one of the Big Four audit and financial services firm, has backed hybrid work for years now.

Mandating in-person days is somewhat of a policy shift that Deloitte goes by with the majority of its 4,60,000 staff.

A spokesperson confirmed the news and said its hybrid model is “not one-size-fits-all”.

“Deloitte performs a tremendous range of work for our clients across many industries. Our hybrid model is not one-size-fits-all. Our model is designed for clients, businesses, team leaders and professionals to co-locate when it matters most to the performance of our work and the development and wellbeing of our professionals,” the spokesperson said.

According to Deloitte's official policy, which was deployed three years ago, employees “are trusted to decide how they work, in a way that works for their clients and colleagues too.”

“We’ve seen the benefits of keeping the flexibility of hybrid and remote working without losing the opportunities to connect and collaborate in person,” the policy states.

Deloitte India not affected

The operations in Deloitte India have not been affected, a company spokesperson told Mint on Thursday.

“This (policy shift) is not India-related, it is probably just in the US,” he said.

Employees in India still decide when they come in to work from office, depending on individual teams, he added. “In India, we continue to be hybrid, and our employees decide when they come in. It is dependent on teams,” the spokesperson said.

Deloitte has been a flexible employer since 2014 and made its hybrid work module official three years ago.