Starling Bank employees have voiced their concerns over new CEO Raman Bhatia’s return-to-office policy, describing it as a “gray corporate hellscape.” This policy mandates that hybrid workers—many of whom have previously worked in the office just one or two days a week—must now come into the office at least 10 days each month.
In a communication from the bank’s human resources team, it was acknowledged that some locations may struggle to accommodate this requirement, stating, “We are aware that in certain office spaces, we may not currently have the capacity for everyone to meet the 10-day minimum. We are exploring options to create more space.”
Starling employs 3,231 individuals, primarily based in the UK, with some in Dublin. However, the bank reportedly has just around 900 desks available, including 260 in Cardiff, 320 at its London headquarters, and 155 in Southampton. In Manchester, Starling has recently secured a 10-year lease for the fifth floor of the Landmark building, which also houses employees from Santander UK and HSBC, with an additional 160 desks.
The new policy has prompted backlash on the company’s internal Slack channels, where employees expressed frustrations regarding the limited desk availability and parking. One post that garnered over 100 reactions criticized the decision as being forced upon staff, despite their valid concerns. The employee described the environment that Bhatia is fostering as a “bland gray corporate hellscape,” filled with individuals solely focused on meeting minimum requirements and collecting salaries.
Responding to the reaction, Bhatia stated in an internal email that he was taken aback by the unexpected nature of the policy. He emphasized the leadership team’s commitment to the importance of in-office collaboration for enhancing creativity, problem-solving, and overall employee engagement.
In an official statement, Starling clarified that the new policy formalizes a long-standing practice encouraging employees to work in the office two to three days per week. The goal of this initiative is to foster greater collaboration, which they believe will ultimately benefit customers during this growth phase. The bank also affirmed that managers will continue to support employees with wellbeing and personal needs, and those with established remote or flexible arrangements will retain their current terms.