New Look has announced a shift in its office attendance policy for its buying, merchandising, and design staff.
- Starting January, BMD staff will be required to work in the office four days a week, an increase from the current three days.
- Fridays will continue to serve as a hybrid workday for these employees.
- The decision aligns New Look with broader industry trends in the retail sector.
- The change aims to enhance collaboration and responsiveness to market changes.
New Look has confirmed a new office attendance policy specifically for its buying, merchandising, and design departments, known collectively as BMD. This strategic shift will require them to spend four days a week in the office starting in January, compared to their current three days. Fridays will be retained as a hybrid workday.
This change is not affecting other departments within the company, as New Look stated it applies only to the BMD teams. The company argues that increasing in-person collaboration among product teams will facilitate better idea generation and quicker responses to trade patterns and trends.
The fashion retailer claims that the revised policy reflects a common practice within the broader retail sector, suggesting that similar measures are being adopted elsewhere to optimise productivity and communication in face-to-face settings.
In contrast, another retail giant, Asda, has also revised its office attendance for over 5,000 staff members across Leeds and Leicester, mandating a minimum of three days of office work each week. These moves underscore a developing trend towards increased in-office presence as businesses adapt to evolving work dynamics.
The new office policy at New Look for BMD staff reflects a sector-wide shift towards increased in-office collaboration.
