Goldman Sachs announces return to work after coronavirus office closures
Goldman Sachs is going back to work. The banking giant told staff on Wednesday it would start letting people back into its offices in the coming weeks, after shutting most of them down in March amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In a memo to staff, Goldman’s chief executive officer, David Solomon, said staff around the world would soon be notified of plans to allow people to return to their offices. Staff will return on a rotational basis in some offices and the plans will vary depending on local, business and personal circumstances.
“Over the coming days and weeks, colleagues in those offices will hear from their divisional, business and/or local leadership about what to expect for the months ahead, including team rotations in the office where possible, with the goal of giving everyone who can do so an opportunity to come in to their office,” Solomon said.
“Importantly, this rotational approach will not look the same for everyone, as we each navigate unique personal responsibilities – for example, planning around adjusted school schedules, managing personal and family health conditions, and not being comfortable commuting to the office during peak hours, among many other considerations,” Solomon said.
JP Morgan announced similar plans last month and is planning to allow staff to cycle between days at the office and at home. But while the banks are making moves to return to a situation closer to their pre-pandemic working arrangements, JP Morgan has estimated a quarter of its close t0 61,000 staff could still be working from home for the foreseeable future.