Office mandates | Employment tribunal cases to rise as firms axe WFH, HR experts predict

A string of HR experts are predicting a rise in employment tribunal cases citing remote working, with a growing number of companies now advocating for a full-time return to the office.

A full return to in-office working is predicted by 2026, and employers will likely be buoyed by recent decisions by big firms like Manchester United, where new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe recently ordered employees back into their offices as he continues to overhaul the club’s performance both on and off the pitch.

A report in The Guardian recently offered up the thoughts of several employment & HR experts, many of whom expected a spike in employment tribunal appeals (EAPs) amid the growing number of bosses deciding on wholesale office return plans.

However, the threat of legal action might prove to be of little deterrence, particularly following a recent tribunal decision which saw a senior manager at the UK’s financial watchdog lose a bid to work remotely permanently.