Opinion: Retailers claim to value staff – but ditching flexible working says otherwise

Flexible working was hailed as one of the few silver linings of the pandemic for retail workers— and one that gave some breathing room in a fast-paced industry that couldn’t match the pay packages of other private sectors.

But fast forward to 2025, and that ‘perk’ is rapidly disappearing.

Over the last 12 months the number of retailers issuing return to office orders has picked up pace. And in the last few weeks, a spate of retailers who had previously been lauded for their flexibility credentials have reneged or watered down their hybrid working policies.

John Lewis’s commercial teams now have been ordered into the office at least three days a week, Primark product staff must clock four days on-site from September, Ikea has increased office days from eight to twelve a month, and Ocado has shifted from one to three days a week in-office.

Boots, THG and Morrisons are even more demanding, requiring full five-day office weeks for head office staff.

For HQ staff juggling the cost and coordination of long commutes and childcare demands these aren’t minor tweaks—they’re a clear and coordinated rollback of flexibility just as workers face rising living costs and shrinking benefits.

The retail market is brutal right now. Mass store closures, sweeping redundancies, and relentless pressure on margins mean many employees don’t have much choice but to accept these demands.

So when retailers talk about the importance of collaboration or culture, it often feels like cover for a top-down push to cut costs.

And for workers juggling multiple demands in a tough market losing flexibility won’t just hurt their bank accounts – it’ll be a body blow to their already-bruised morale.

Don’t compare apples and oranges

One of the most common justifications for rolling back flexible working is that it’s “unfair” on store staff who can’t work from home. But let’s be honest — that’s a bad-faith argument.

Shop floor workers never expected to log in from their sofas. They signed up for roles that require them to be in-store.

Head office staff didn’t – indeed, many will have prioritised applying for or remaining with employers that hailed flexible working as a key benefit of working for them.

Pretending the two are directly comparable is disingenuous, and using it as a reason to strip away flexibility from HQ teams is little more than smoke and mirrors.

If anything, flexibility was one of the few meaningful perks for corporate retail staff.

Salaries in retail HQ roles rarely rival those in tech, finance, or consultancy — but flexible working helped level the playing field. Now, even that’s being taken away.

It’s not about fairness. It’s about control.

What we’re really seeing is a return to top-down leadership. A quiet shift back to archaic ideas about productivity and presenteeism. And that’s the real worry — because if company culture is the first thing sacrificed in tough times, it raises serious questions about how much that culture was ever valued at all.

Gen Z’s not buying it

Flexibility isn’t a perk for Gen Z — it’s the baseline we expect.

Personally, I wouldn’t even apply for a role that wasn’t at least hybrid. And if I accepted a job on the promise of flexibility, only to be told months in that I need to be in the office four or five days a week with a month’s notice? I’d be fuming.

And this isn’t just my experience. A Times study shows only 10% of UK Gen Z workers want to be full-time in the office.

Rather than being ‘lazy’ or ‘entitled’, Gen Z has come into the workforce with the traditional markers of professional success in limbo: housing costs are sky-high, wages lagging and the prospect of owning a home or starting a family feeling more out of reach than ever.

The old deal just doesn’t add up anymore, which means the value exchange with employers has to offer more than just a pay cheque. Most of us are not chasing traditional markers of success — a stable 9-to-5, a corner office, or a lifetime job. We want autonomy, balance, and employers who trust us to get the job done without clock-watching.

So when retailers claw back flexible working, they’re not just taking away a benefit — they’re eroding trust.

Retail is already grappling with a serious skills shortage which is costing the industry an eye-watering £23.3bn and elevating the exposure to risks such as cyber attacks. Against this backdrop, can retail afford to renege on one of its most compelling perks?

Culture or quotas?

Retailers often justify strict return-to-office policies by citing “culture” and “collaboration.” But is that really the motivation — or is it about hitting targets and tightening control?

Take John Lewis, which has been celebrated as one of the UK retail’s best employers due to its partnership model and profit-sharing.

But growing unrest among employees after being denied a bonus for the third consecutive year puts this reputation at risk – as does the order for its commercial team to spend three days a week on site just in time for the start of the summer holidays.

For working parents, that’s a logistical and financial nightmare. Last-minute childcare isn’t cheap, and while the retailer says it’ll be “accommodating,” it’s hard to square that with a mandate already in motion and put in place with very little notice.

A thriving company culture doesn’t come from clock-watching or forcing people into the office. It’s built on trust, respect, and flexibility — the very things flexible working fosters.

Mandating office attendance as a blunt tool risks crushing morale and engagement just as retailers face a talent crunch. Workers who feel micromanaged or undervalued won’t bring their best selves to work — no matter how many “team-building” sessions are scheduled.

The world of work has changed and so have employee expectations — especially among younger generations. Flexible working is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s a necessity for attracting and retaining staff in retail.

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