HarperCollins and Bonnier lead return to the office next week

HarperCollins and Bonnier Books UK are asking their staff to return to the office for at least two days a week from Monday (24th January) after the government lifted its work from home guidance. 

On 19th January, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the lifting of Plan B measures brought in last month to stem infections caused by the Omicron variant. He told the House of Commons that cases were now falling and the Omicron wave had likely peaked nationally meaning rules could now be eased. Work from home guidance was immediately removed, while Covid passports and mandatory face mask rules will be scapped from next Thursday (27th January). 

HarperCollins will be returning to its "two-day-plus model" from Monday, a pilot hybrid model that was in place before work from home guidance was reissued in December. Staff in England will need to be in the office for a minimum of two days a week. This does not apply to offices in Scotland. Bonnier staff will also be returning to the office from Monday, with staff being asked to come in at least two days a week. A spokesperson confirmed the publisher would continue to operate its flexible hours policy.  

Penguin Random House confirmed it would be re-opening its offices on Monday 24th January for staff who wish to attend. However, office working remains voluntary while it resumes its hybrid working trial. "We’ll be asking colleagues to test every day before coming to work, and to wear face coverings in communal spaces or moving around our sites, although not when sitting/standing at a workstation, to protect health and wellbeing" a spokesperson said. 

Hachette UK will resume its 3:2 hybrid working model the week after, from Monday 31st January, which requires staff to come in at least three days a week. A spokesperson told The Bookseller: "Our offices are already open for any staff who need to come in, but from the 31st, our sixth storey café and event space in Carmelite House will reopen fully and we’re really looking forward to our offices once again becoming the hubs for creative collaboration and socialising that they were before the pandemic. The wellbeing of our people remains our top priority and we’ll continue our Covid-19 cleaning protocols for the foreseeable future.” 

At S&S UK, where the office has remained open for those unable to work from home, staff will, from 31st January, revert back to three days a week in the office on a voluntary basis. A spokesperson said: "We are continuing to have ongoing conversations with staff to ensure that the return to work is flexible and realistic, and we’re continuing to keep an eye on government guidelines and case numbers so we can take the necessary precautions as needed."

Bloomsbury has not yet updated its policy in response to the government’s announcement. Staff have been working from home since 13th December but offices reopened with limited access on 10th January to provide an option to work for "colleagues who are uncomfortable working at home". Bloomsbury staff who wish to work from the office are required to have had two Covid-19 vaccinations plus a booster.

Faber said it is re-opening its offices fully for internal and external use. Staff can come in to the office as they want with no compulsory requirement. A spokesperson told The Bookseller: "The offices have already been available for those who needed to come in. We will continue to take measures to keep staff safe such as asking guests to show evidence of a vaccination or negative test, and wearing masks in communal spaces, in the short term."