PWC hits back at Lord Sugar after he calls staff ‘lazy’

A ROW has erupted between PWC and Lord Sugar after he called staff at the accounting firm “lazy” following the introduction of new working hours that allow employees to take Friday afternoons off all summer.

In a string of posts on the social media website Linkedin, staff at PWC branded Lord Sugar’s comments “out of touch” and “childish”.

It comes after the Apprentice host criticised Pwc’s new policy on Twitter last week. He said: “The lazy gits make me sick. Call me old fashioned but all this work from home BS is a total joke. There is no way people work as hard or [are as] productive as when they had to turn up at a work location.

“The pandemic has had [a] long lasting negative effect.”

In a retort published on Linkedin, Maria Jennings, Pwc’s marketing director, thanked Lord Sugar “for the free publicity” and encouraged prospective employees to “come and join us lazy lot at PWC”. She added: “I could add some commentary to this but given we are so lazy at PWC UK I figured I’d spend my time elsewhere.”

Richard Osborne, a senior executive at the firm, wrote on his Linkedin page that Lord Sugar’s response showed how “out of touch” he is with the “modern working world”. He said: This isn’t about taking time off to be lazy – it is about flexibility to work effectively as and when we work our best.

“‘Work from home BS’ has meant that many of us have been far more productive than we were pre-pandemic and your response is at best childish and misunderstood.”

Omair Qureshi, a senior associate at PWC, added: “I’m sorry that the pandemic has raised the importance of a long-forgotten critical area in businesses – staff well-being and productivity.” Companies are locked in an arms race for talent amid widespread staff shortages, with Pwc’s decision to let UK staff clock off at lunchtime every Friday all summer among the latest steps by employers to beat the “great resignation”.

According to Ipsos, more than half of 16 to 34-year-olds considered quitting their jobs or were actively looking at the start of this year.

Restaurants and pub chains have been offering round-the-world flights and “pawternity” leave to look after new pets, while City firms have focused on extra time off and a better work-life balance.

Last week, “big four” accountant KPMG said it would give its 15,800 staff, excluding partners, a one-off bonus of up to £4,000.