Wells Fargo has delayed plans for employees to return to corporate offices by a month in response to the rise in US coronavirus cases.

The bank is now aiming to kick off the first phase of its plan on 4 October, from a previous 7 September target, according to a memo last week from Chief Operating Officer Scott Powell.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

The move applies to employees who are currently working remotely, not those who are already working on site, Powell said.

Wells Fargo, the fourth biggest US bank by assets, is joining a growing list of corporations that are pushing back return dates or mandating that employees be vaccinated or wear masks amid a nationwide surge driven by the more contagious delta variant.

Vaccination mandates

Last week, Citigroup said that even vaccinated employees would need to wear masks at corporate offices.

Tech giants, including Facebook and Alphabet, now mandate that employees who wish to return to offices be vaccinated.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Giant asset manager BlackRock also said last week that it is pushing office return plans back by a month to October.

The bank also encouraged, but did not require, employees to get vaccinated and said that almost 90% of its workforce had responded to an internal vaccine questionnaire, according to the memo.

The bank declined to comment beyond the memo.

“We will continue to monitor the situation and make further adjustments if required,” Powell told employees. “Please take care of yourselves and your families.”