Allied Irish Banks has mandated that non-customer-facing employees return to office premises for three days per week from January 2026, ending the full remote working arrangements that have been in place since the COVID-19 pandemic.
HR Manager Dave McCormack informed staff via email that the bank seeks to maintain “balance and flexibility” while increasing “in-person connection and collaboration.” Employees will be assigned base locations in coming weeks, with team leaders determining specific office days on a case-by-case basis.
The Financial Services Union has strongly condemned the policy change, with General Secretary John O’Connell calling it “regressive and without justification.” He argued that employees working from home full-time have delivered record financial performance for the bank.
AIB’s impressive 2024 results appear to support the union’s position, with the bank posting €2.35 billion in after-tax profits and distributing €2.6 billion to shareholders. The institution also achieved significant growth with lending books expanding 17% and loan portfolios increasing 6%.
The bank maintains that in-person collaboration fosters “greater collaboration, connection and innovation” among teams. Attendance will be monitored under the new system, which affects all part-time and full-time staff in non-customer roles.
AIB follows Bank of Ireland, which recently implemented its own hybrid policy requiring employees to work eight days monthly from office locations, signaling a broader industry shift away from pandemic-era remote working practices.