Investment Banking

75% of bankers are scared to return to their desks as pressure mounts to get back to the office

After maintaining a cautious approach to bringing staff back, investment banks are ramping up the return. An FN poll found many are happier at home

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Commuter cross Westminster Bridge in London. Photo: Luke MacGregor/Getty Images

City firms have ramped up efforts to bring thousands of employees back to the office. There’s just one problem — most of their staff don’t want to return.

In a survey of around 120 senior financial services professionals by Financial News, 74% said they did not want to return to the office in September, which is when most investment banks started phasing in staff. Meanwhile, 75% of respondents did not want to go back to the office full-time at all, with most suggesting two or three days back will be the ideal.

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