Airbus has postponed a change to its working policy that would restrict employees to one day of remote working per week. The decision follows a series of employee strikes at Airbus offices since the scheme was announced by CEO Guillaume Faury in June. Despite the reversal in policy, Airbus maintains it is committed to increasing its on-site presence.
What was the Return-To-Office Scheme?
The return-to-office scheme would have reduced the maximum number of days per that Airbus employees were permitted to work from home for from two per week to one per week.
The scheme was announced by Airbus’ Chief Executive Guillaume Faury in a memo he sent to staff in June, and was due to come into effect at the beginning of September.
Faury told staff,
“I count on all of you to support this.”
Faury himself has not commented on the decision to abandon the scheme, but an Airbus spokesperson has reiterated the aircraft manufacturer’s commitment to in-person working.
“Our objective remains the same,” the spokesperson said, adding, “We aim for increased on-site presence to ensure better collective efficiency, knowledge transfer and faster decision-making.”
No date was given for when a similar scheme might be introduced in the future.
How Impactful Were the Strikes?
Airbus acknowledged the role of employee strikes in convincing management to abandon the return-to-office scheme.
The aircraft manufacturer’s statement went on to say:
“effective change requires listening to our people. Based on employee feedback, we have decided to implement this transition more gradually.”
Since the return-to-office scheme was first announced, strikes have been held across Airbus’ offices in Spain, France and the UK.
An estimated 40% of Airbus’ 14,000 Spanish employees have taken part in strikes at some point over the last three months. These include a three-hour stoppage on Monday, where employees discussed the possibility of future industrial action.
Airbus has stated that the production side of its operations has not been adversely impacted by the strikes, with the majority affecting its office-based operations.
Would Airbus benefit from more in-person working? Or should office staff be allowed more time to work from home? Let us know what you think, in the comments.
