Manchester United staff have reportedly been ordered to work from the office full-time from June 1, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe following through on a huge cultural overhaul.
The club’s partial owner warned employees last week that flexible working arrangements must end – and told them to go elsewhere if they didn’t like it.
He argued that he had seen reduced productivity at INEOS with similiar home working allowances.
Staff will be expected to work all their hours from the club’s bases in London or Manchester from next month, as per the Athletic.
The billionaire’s aim is to transform an ailing club from top to bottom and stripping a privilege that has benefited many since the Covid-19 pandemic is part of that vision.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has reportedly ordered all Man United staff back to the office from June 1
The club have a flexible work from home policy, but Ratcliffe has told workers to ‘seek alternative employment’ if they won’t come in
‘The key to achieving this goal [of a high-performance environment] is connection and collaboration. Everyone coming together as a collective to share skills, knowledge and ideas, building on the best of what we already do and looking at where we need to change and innovate,’ an internal email sent to staff, not signed by Ratcliffe himself, read.
‘We believe this connection and collaboration is best achieved when everyone works together in close proximity. Although hybrid working has some benefits, it cannot replace the value of people being physically together.
‘With this in mind, we will be asking all colleagues who currently have hybrid working arrangements to return to the office permanently.’
Ratcliffe reportedly told workers: ‘If you don’t like it, please seek alternative employment.’
There are not enough desks to fit everyone in the London and Manchester offices as they were adapted for working from home numbers, according to the Athletic.
Mail Sport understands there is limited space at the club’s Old Trafford stadium where some staff members work, and little space at their Carrington training ground either, hence why many have taken up working from home.
But Ratcliffe is said to be concerned over productivity among his staff after citing a statistic showing that email traffic has dropped by 20 per cent while they have been working remotely.
A report in the Guardian claims that there was a ‘bemused’ reaction among staff after initially hearing about the plans to axe the working from home arrangements.
The British billionaire has laid down the law in recent weeks after hitting out at the club’s ‘disgraceful’ untidiness around their Carrington training ground
Ratcliffe was unimpressed during his visit to the complex and called for higher standards
They view Ratcliffe’s explanation for changing their work set up as ‘short sighted’ and are confused as to how all staff will be accommodated with limited space.
Ratcliffe, 71, is continuing to lay down the law at Old Trafford after hitting out at the ‘disgraceful’ state of the club’s IT department and sent a warning over ‘untidiness’ while visiting Carrington.
‘I had a good two-day visit to both Carrington and Old Trafford this week. As ever I was made to feel very welcome. Thank you,’ Ratcliffe’s note, which was sent to all staff and seen by Mail Sport, began.
‘I had a good tour around some of the facilities. I am afraid I was struck in many places by a high degree of untidiness. In particular the IT department which frankly was a disgrace and the dressing rooms of the U18 and U21 were not much better.
‘These standards would not come close to what we would expect at INEOS and we are a chemical company. Manchester United is an elite sporting organisation.
‘It’s a small thing in many ways but unless an organisation has standards and discipline it will not succeed.’
He continued: ‘I would be grateful in future if we adopt the proper standards of housekeeping everywhere.
‘It reflects poorly on the club if we have visitors, young player parents, new players and the media and they see we don’t care enough to keep things shipshape.’
Omar Berrada (left) will start as CEO on July 13, while Jason Wilcox (right) has joined the club as technical director
Ratcliffe, who began working at the club last year after buying a £1.25bn stake in the club, has been overhauling United’s executive team off the pitch with the help of Ineos chief Sir Dave Brailsford.
Omar Berrada is starting as CEO this summer, replacing Richard Arnold, while John Murtough has also departed as director of football with Dan Ashworth targeted as his replacement. Jason Wilcox has joined as technical director.
Mail Sport has contacted Manchester United for comment.
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