RBC return-to-office mandate 2025: 4 days a week in the fall

What’s going on at RBC?

Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) is reportedly planning to require staff to work from their respective offices four days a week in the fall.

“RBC is a relationship-driven bank and in person, human connection is core to our winning culture,” spokesperson Gillian McArdle told The Globe and Mail in an email.

“We set the expectation in 2023 that we’d come together in the office for the majority of the time, with the flexibility to work remotely one to two days a week.”

Dave McKay, CEO of Canada’s biggest bank, has previously shared concerns about a drop in productivity and innovation while RBC employees work from home.

SEE ALSO
• Amazon kicks off 2025 with 5-day return to the office
• JPMorgan return-to-office mandate 2025: 5 days a week in March
• Dell ‘retires’ hybrid work policy, orders full office return in March
• Return-to-office mandates are a ‘power grab’, study says

Can RBC force employees to return to the office?

No, RBC can’t require employees to return to the office if they’ve been working remotely for an extended period of time and that arrangement has become permanent.

This includes individuals working full-time, part-time, or hourly in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia.

WATCH: Employment lawyer Lior Samfiru delves into return-to-office mandates on an episode of the Employment Law Show.

If remote work has become a consistent and accepted part of your job, a demand to return to the office may be considered a constructive dismissal — a significant change to your employment that could entitle you to full severance, up to 24 months’ pay.

In the event that the bank is attempting to alter the current amount of time you have to work from the office, if at all, contact an experienced employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

We can determine if RBC is legally able to do so, or if it violates your employment rights.

Workplace issue? Contact us

Since 2007, the experienced employment law team at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP has helped tens of thousands of non-unionized individuals resolve their workplace issues.

Whether you’re in Ontario, Alberta, or B.C., our lawyers can review your situation, enforce your rights, and ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve.

Disclaimer: The materials above are provided as general information about the rights of non-unionized employees in Canada. It is not specific to any one company and SHOULD NOT be read as suggesting any improper conduct on the part of any specific employer, or a relationship between Samfiru Tumarkin LLP and a specific employer.