Deloitte to shut 4 offices, to transfer all staff to permanent work from home

Deloitte will close down 4 of its 50 British offices and retain all of the employees on permanent work-from-home contracts – a move aimed at managing real estate expenses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deloitte, on October 17, informed staff it will shut offices in Southampton, Nottingham, Liverpool and Gatwick, which together employ 500, The Economic Times reported.

The consulting and accounting firm’s UK managing partner Stephen Griggs in an email said the pandemic has “fast tracked our future work programme, leading us to review our real estate portfolio.” He also assured staff that this would not affect Deloitte’s presence in these regions.

This comes after the company, in April, announced 20 percent pay cut for all partners at its British businesses as an alternative to job cuts.

Demand for office space has nosedived amid the COVID-19 pandemic as millions began working from due to quarantines, lockdowns and to keep social distancing norms.