Advertising giant WPP isn’t having the best start to the year after announcing most of its global staff will need to return to the office four days a week. And one Manchester staffer went as far as describing the move as “discriminatory”.
After the new workplace policy was sent out in an all-staff memo called ‘Winning Together’ by CEO Mark Read on 7 January, more than 18,000 people (and counting) have since signed a Change.org petition to demand WPP revokes the mandatory office return.
The decision has been criticised for the mental and social effects it could have on employees, with the petition calling on Mark Read and WPP’s decision-makers to reconsider and adopt a policy that “respects and prioritises” the well-being and preferences of its employees. Yet Read’s memo said the ad giant does its “best work when we are together in person”, adding its success “still relies on the fundamentals of human connection, creativity and relationships”.
“It’s outrageous”, says one of the many who signed the petition. Another says the mandate will lead to “lower morale, less productivity, and potentially losing a lot of people”.
At least 550 staff are based at WPP’s Manchester campus, which opened back in 2023, with the hub designed to be a “real focus for growth”.
This new work policy will impact most staff under the WPP umbrella, so this will include those working for the likes of EM Code, Wavemaker and EssenceMediacom North in Manchester.
“It feels like a step backwards,” a senior staffer in Manchester, who preferred to remain anonymous, tells Prolific North.
“The uncertainty has had quite a big impact on some people’s mental health, some have said they need a new job, which is horrible to see.”
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Inside the Manchester campus, it has become “impossible” for people to join any internal calls without conversations circling back to concerns over WPP’s decision which is set to take effect from the beginning of April.
“I’ve had calls with people across the business that I don’t really know on a personal level, yet it has come up in all of those calls.
“There have been lots of rumblings about it, with people talking about whether they need to look at another job, and questioning if that’s what the business wants, only a certain type of person working here?
“I don’t think it’s sinister but I think there’s probably a different motivation behind it. Anything like this, especially dealt with without clarity up front, does generate horrible thoughts and people start to get quite paranoid because they don’t really understand the situation.”
According to a 2023 report from WPP, the ad giant said it had adopted a hybrid approach as part of employee engagement, with staff based “largely in one of our 41 campuses around the world” with a continued element of remote working.
From carers to parents, “a lot of staff” in Manchester are on flexible working contracts and are now concerned about what this might mean for their future working at WPP.
“People on those contracts are now not sure if they can even do those or not,” one staffer explains to us.
“It’s new or working mothers that seem to be very negatively impacted. Over the past year, we have lost quite a few female leaders so then for something like this to happen, it obviously feels a little bit like sex discrimination in many ways.
“Despite all the progress, women still carry the burden in terms of childcare and it’s women that tend to have to cut back hours or look for new jobs so that they can work more flexibly. With everything that’s going on in the world, it just feels like another real kick to some women.
“I’m really disappointed.”
Staff are also frustrated about the way WPP more widely has handled the announcement and fallout.
“The way it has been dealt with and the way the news came out, it has generated a lot of uncertainty. Hopefully we’ll be able to create an arrangement for all [staff].”
The experts have their say on what employees – and WPP – should do next
The one glimmer of positive news is that some staff are happy about the way senior leaders in Manchester campus have handled the fallout.
“They’ve set up calls and created documents, which happened probably about a week or so after the announcement because they were just waiting for the information and it filtered down to them.
“They’ve been very clear and direct that this is something the business really wants, and you will have to apply for flex working if you want your contract changed to include anything out of the four days. They’ve been really clear on that point, but they have dealt with it, and they have been available for questions, which has been good.”
But what do the experts think about it all? Lucy Kemp, future of work expert and employee experience consultant, says the backlash against mandates like this highlights a “deeper issue”.
“Flexibility isn’t just a perk anymore, it’s an expectation, especially for employees with care-giving responsibilities. If policies like this are introduced, staff need to understand their rights and speak up. For those with flexible working contracts already in place, it is important to remember that these are legally binding. Employers cannot simply change terms without proper consultation or agreement,” she explains.
On what affected employees should do, she says they should start reviewing their contracts and raise any concerns with HR or managers. “If the issue remains unresolved, they can escalate it through formal grievance procedures or seek advice from employment organisations like ACAS.”
And for companies like WPP dealing with growing employee concerns over new workplace policies, communication is “key” to re-engaging unhappy employees.
“These decisions shouldn’t feel like a top-down directive. Employers need to explain the why behind the policy and genuinely listen to feedback. Consulting with employees, offering alternative arrangements, and being transparent about the decision-making process can help rebuild trust.
“Ultimately, businesses need to recognise that flexibility is a fundamental part of modern work. Rolling it back will not only alienate employees but risks damaging morale, retention, and reputation.”
WPP’s representatives in Manchester declined to comment.