Enhanced Scrutiny of Employee Presence in PwC Offices
PwC UK Introduces Detailed Attendance Monitoring System
PwC UK has taken a significant step in employee management by implementing a detailed "traffic-light" system to monitor attendance, making it the most technologically sophisticated among the Big Four firms. This system, which went live in April 2025, tracks attendance via badge swipes and employees’ Wi-Fi connections to confirm location, providing a dashboard that shows staff as "green," "amber" (below 60%), or "red" (below 40%) in compliance.
The new system, designed to ensure a minimum of 60% office or client-site attendance, is data-driven and transparent, with both employees and senior leadership, including business unit heads and top officers, having access to the data. This transparency aims to enable well-informed management decisions and stricter enforcement of office presence.
PwC UK's approach to hybrid working is consistent with other businesses and is accepted by the majority of its people. However, the increased surveillance has raised concerns over transparency, particularly in relation to the tracking of Wi-Fi signals and location data. One source reported seeking more transparency regarding how staff are being tracked.
Despite these concerns, the PwC spokesperson acknowledges the clear benefits of in-person work for employees and clients. The nature of PwC UK's business, especially its consultancy arm, means associates and partners may need to be based at clients' offices.
The dashboard, which is accessible to employees, also provides them with easy access to their attendance data for time management purposes. Staff members who fall below 60% office attendance are marked as "amber" on the dashboard, while those below 40% are marked as "red." Breaching the attendance policy can result in formal sanctions.
In contrast, EY and BlackRock have not reported similar increased attendance monitoring systems or policies comparable to PwC's traffic-light model. No specific new attendance tracking practices for EY or BlackRock have been reported in this context.
PwC UK remains committed to flexibility, including the option for condensed working hours and early Friday finishes in the summer. The firm's spokesperson emphasizes regular, clear, and transparent communications about expectations to ensure a balanced approach to hybrid working.
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The detailed attendance monitoring system implemented by PwC UK, which uses a traffic-light system, is part of their focus on business operations and finance, as it aims to ensure a minimum attendance rate and promote well-informed management decisions. Despite the transparency concerns raised by some employees, PwC UK continues to stress the importance of in-person work for both employees and clients in the realm of their finance and business sector.
