Council to bring workers back to office 4 days a week... despite over 90% feedback against the change

WREXHAM Council's executive board has disregarded a staff consultation and backed bringing workers into the office four days a week.

- By ALEC DOYLE Local Democracy Reporter [e-mail]

A wide-ranging consultation across all eligible council staff found 90.7% of staff preferred a three-day office week with two days working from home - the most common hybrid work arrangement the council currently operates. There was also significant feedback suggesting a 50/50 split.

Currently Wrexham Council employs just over 6,300 staff, of whom 1,589 work hybrid approximately one in four.

A significant 78.8% of staff said that increasing office time would impact recruitment and retention.

But Wrexham County Borough Council's executive board this week voted in favour of a recommendation for a four-day office week with one day working from home - raising concerns about the impact on recruitment and retention.

Lead member for Corporate and Customer Services Cllr Bev Parry Jones introduced the report.

"This policy sets clear boundaries and parameters that have not been previously documented," she told the board. "This will be reviewed within 12 months as we understand that it is still a new way of working.