Citigroup is planning to reopen its New York headquarters and London offices and return a small number of its staff back to offices, Bloomberg has reported.

The bank is committed to working from offices and does not envision a “virtual bank”.

At New York headquarters

Citigroup is expected to resume its banking operations in New York headquarters in July or August, the report added.

Employees will return to offices in a site-by-site and job-by-job approach, Citigroup CEO Michael Corbat said.

The bank hopes to return nearly 5% of its 12,000 employees in its headquarters located in Manhattan, New York.

However, Corbat mulls less business travel as employees remain anxious about commuting to offices through trains, subways and busses.

Citigroup CEO Michael Corbat said: “The biggest hurdle we’re going to have is not getting people to operate in the office; it’s getting them to the office.”

At London offices

Citigroup employees in London are expected to return to offices beginning next week at Canary Wharf complex.

The Wall Street bank hopes to return less than 10% of its 5,000 London employees, Bloomberg reported citing people familiar with the matter.

Traders and employees in its markets and securities division will be the first ones to return while some investment banking employees have been asked to continue working from home.

Citigroup Europe, Middle East and Africa CEO David Livingstone said: “Over the long term, we shall return to working from central locations, and we are cautiously and carefully taking steps in that direction.”