• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

2

Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'

3

Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics

1

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

2

Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'

3

Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
Lifestylereturn to office
Europe

Accounting giant EY is tracking its return-to-work push with ‘turnstile access data’—and many workers aren’t even making it 2 days a week

Prarthana Prakash
By
Prarthana Prakash
Prarthana Prakash
Europe Business News Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
Prarthana Prakash
By
Prarthana Prakash
Prarthana Prakash
Europe Business News Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 29, 2024, 7:39 AM ET
People walking past EY’s building in London
EY is tracking employees’ return-to-work compliance using turnstile access data, a report says. TOLGA AKMEN—AFP/Getty Images

The return-to-work push has been hard. For employees, it has involved upending their homebound lifestyle from the COVID-19 pandemic, and for employers, it’s been a tussle to bring workers back in offices to re-create anything like the pre-pandemic order.

There’s been some success: More people were working in offices than entirely from home in the U.K. for the first time since the pandemic, a recruitment agency found in October.

Yet some employees continue to defy back-to-office mandates, forcing companies to find new ways to keep an eye on who makes their way in and who doesn’t. At accounting giant EY, that’s been by tracking the turnstile entry of its employees, the Financial Times reported Monday.

Anonymized turnstile access data was shared with some partners at EY to show how often people come into the office in the U.K., staffers at the Big Four firm told FT. Sometimes, data on attendance was even correlated to midyear performance reviews, one of the sources said.

The big takeaway? At least 50% of the people in some teams were falling short on meeting the return-to-work policy, currently at least two days a week, a person familiar with the matter told the outlet.

The data illustrates the ongoing struggle for employers with luring people back into the office even as we’re in a post-pandemic world. Hybrid work was hardly the norm prior to lockdowns (although it had been slowly increasing). However, the flexibility and benefits to employee well-being have been significant—and employees want to hold on to them.

The push for more face time

Bosses argue that there are clear upsides to having people in offices, so many of them have been firm about advocating for it. Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon was early to call working from home an “aberration” in the hybrid-work debate. Other banks, including Citibank, have also said they would monitor employee attendance through their ID card swipes as a proxy for attendance. Earlier this month, Bank of America issued letters (the company calls them “letters of education“) to workers flouting return-to-office rules, warning them of “disciplinary action.”

It’s become apparent that bringing people back into offices is not as simple as pivoting to old times. Return-to-work mandates have their fair share of shortcomings too, given its impact on employee satisfaction and future recruitment prospects.

But returning to the office can be beneficial, especially for employees in early stages of their career, Kevin Ellis, U.K. chairman at fellow Big Four company PwC, said a few weeks ago. His advice for junior workers looking to succeed in their career would be to spend more time in the office.

A PwC spokesperson told Fortune that the firm keeps tabs on aggregate office usage for several reasons.

“It helps us gauge employee preferences and assess whether our hybrid policy is working, so we can plan accordingly,” the spokesperson said, adding that its policy of employees spending 40% to 60% of their time at work with their teams, has been “working effectively.”

A spokesperson for KPMG told Fortune: “Our firm’s hybrid working model balances the flexibility of working from home with the importance of collaborating and learning in our offices or at client sites. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach.

“Attendance in our offices has continued to increase year on year, with around 11,500 individuals spending at least one day a week in the office.”

EY declined Fortune’s request for comment.

Join us at the Fortune Workplace Innovation Summit May 19–20, 2026, in Atlanta. The next era of workplace innovation is here—and the old playbook is being rewritten. At this exclusive, high-energy event, the world’s most innovative leaders will convene to explore how AI, humanity, and strategy converge to redefine, again, the future of work. Register now.
About the Author
Prarthana Prakash
By Prarthana PrakashEurope Business News Reporter
LinkedIn icon

Prarthana Prakash was a Europe business reporter at Fortune.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Lifestyle

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Lifestyle

Legion Recharge Creatine Review (2026): Expert Tested
HealthDietary Supplements
Legion Recharge Creatine Review (2026): Expert Tested
By Christina SnyderMay 21, 2026
2 hours ago
murdoch
Big TechMedia
James Murdoch vows ‘ambitious journalism and agenda-setting conversations’ as he takes over New York, Vox brands
By Jocelyn Noveck and The Associated PressMay 21, 2026
3 hours ago
Girl doing backflip into the ocean.
Travel & LeisureAir Travel
Your ‘flexible hot girl summer’ is going to cost you
By Catherina GioinoMay 21, 2026
8 hours ago
Clinical Psychologist Daniel Wendler
ConferencesWorkplace Innovation Summit
A ‘proudly autistic’ workplace expert says putting neurodivergent employees in a typical office is like dropping a polar bear in Austin, Texas
By Tristan BoveMay 20, 2026
20 hours ago
A dating expert says ghosting and quiet quitting are the same problem at their core, and corporate life has more to learn from romance than it admits
Workplace CultureWorkplace Innovation Summit
A dating expert says ghosting and quiet quitting are the same problem at their core, and corporate life has more to learn from romance than it admits
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 20, 2026
21 hours ago
Sun Home Cold Plunge Pro Review (2026): Is It Right for You?
HealthDietary Supplements
Sun Home Cold Plunge Pro Review (2026): Is It Right for You?
By Emily PharesMay 20, 2026
23 hours ago

Most Popular

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
Workplace Culture
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
2 days ago
Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'
Success
Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'
By Preston ForeMay 20, 2026
1 day ago
Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
Future of Work
Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
By Mike Householder and The Associated PressMay 17, 2026
4 days ago
Dr. Bernice King on why companies that walked back DEI were never truly committed: 'If you retreat that quick…that reveals who you really are'
Workplace Culture
Dr. Bernice King on why companies that walked back DEI were never truly committed: 'If you retreat that quick…that reveals who you really are'
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
2 days ago
Pay transparency is exposing a bigger problem: Most companies can't explain why they pay what they pay
Workplace Culture
Pay transparency is exposing a bigger problem: Most companies can't explain why they pay what they pay
By Sydney LakeMay 20, 2026
20 hours ago
Current price of oil as of May 20, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 20, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 20, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.