A petition calling for advertising giant WPP to reconsider a return to office mandate it issued last week, today broke through the 17,000 signature mark, now heading towards 20,000.
Return to Office petition
The petition called for leaders at the world-renowned advertising company to reconsider the RTO mandate, which meant employees would have return to the office for at least four days a week.
“This mandate comes from CEO Mark Read and impacts all 114,000 staff under the WPP umbrella”, the petition’s creators wrote on their Change.org petition page.
It continued: “In a post-COVID world where many businesses have embraced flexible working styles, WPP’s decision seems to be a step backwards in supporting employee wellbeing and work-life balance, citing anecdotal data that either does not exist or has been misrepresented.
“The mental and social effects on employees due to such rigid work regimes can be extensive.
“Therefore, we call on Mark Read and the decision-making body at WPP to reconsider this mandate and adopt a policy that respects and prioritises the well-being and preferences of its employees.
“It’s time to move towards a future of work that’s flexible, mindful, inclusive, and evidence-based. Please sign this petition to support our cause.
The petition page also includes to various recent articles (below) which appear to question the wisdom, effectiveness and productivity benefits of forcing employees to travel more often to their workplaces.
- May 2024 – The Data Is In: Return-to-Office Mandates Aren’t Worth the Talent Risks
- May 2024 – How Return-to-Office Mandates Pose Risks to Productivity, Well-Being, and Retention
- October 2024 – Return To Office Mandates Lower Engagement And Productivity
- December 2024 – Return-to-office mandates are associated with an exodus of high performers, research finds
In a written response, a spokesperson for FTSE 100-listed WPP told Mediashotz the company would press on with its RTO plan in a collaborative way with its employees.