Starling Bank has experienced a wave of resignations after its new CEO, Raman Bhatia, announced a policy requiring staff to return to the office more frequently. Bhatia’s directive demands that employees who had been working remotely or on a hybrid schedule attend the office for a minimum of 10 days per month, marking a significant shift in the bank’s work culture since Bhatia succeeded founder Anne Boden in March 2024. While Starling has been an online-only bank since its inception, the new policy has sparked backlash from staff who have raised concerns about the lack of office space. 

Starling employs over 3,200 people, most of whom are based in the UK and Dublin. However, the company only has about 900 desks across various office locations, including its Cardiff, London, Southampton, and Manchester sites. Employees have expressed frustration over the lack of space, with some noting that their offices are already overcrowded and ill-equipped to handle the additional workers. The bank's human resources team acknowledged the issue, stating that it was aware some locations would struggle to accommodate the new in-office requirements but promised to explore ways to create more space.

The policy change has triggered a wave of discontent among staff, particularly on the company's internal communication channels. Some employees have already resigned, while others have threatened to do so, citing the negative impact on their work-life balance. One long-time employee who resigned shared their frustration, stating that the new policy disrupted their ability to work effectively from home, and the demand to return to the office was unreasonable given the circumstances. Some employees even took to Slack to criticize the move, accusing Bhatia of trying to create a “bland grey corporate hellscape.”

In response, Bhatia defended the decision in an all-staff email, expressing surprise that the policy was seen as unexpected. He emphasized the importance of in-office work for fostering creativity, collaboration, and engagement, and pointed out that he had been discussing the shift for several months prior. Bhatia further argued that the leadership team had been working on the logistics of this change for some time, believing that a return to the office was essential for the company’s future growth.

The move to bring more employees back into the office comes amid broader corporate trends following the COVID-19 pandemic, with other companies like Goldman Sachs and Amazon also requiring more in-office attendance. Starling Bank’s policy shift also follows a challenging period for the bank, which was recently fined £29 million by the Financial Conduct Authority for lapses in its regulatory controls. Despite the challenges, Starling remains committed to growing its business and improving collaboration through increased in-office interactions.

Starling’s new approach aligns with the trend of companies revisiting office work policies after the widespread adoption of remote work during the pandemic. Like other firms, Starling hopes that increased in-person collaboration will foster innovation and better serve its customers in the next phase of the company’s development.

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