Rachel Reeves tells civil servants to get back in the office in London to boost Britain's productivity

Civil servants should get back in the office in Whitehall and other parts of Britain to boost the economy, says Rachel Reeves.

The Chancellor was crystal clear on her views about the benefits of being in the office, rather than working from home, to increase productivity.

She believes that it is easier to share ideas, challenge thinking, and take steps to drive economic growth by meetings in person than on Zoom or other online platforms.

Her stance appeared to contrast with that of Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds.

“The Treasury, we are a pretty good department for getting colleagues in,” she told LBC Radio.

“But it’s a real mix across Government and I do want civil servants in the office, I lead by example.

“I do think there is real value of bringing people together and sharing ideas and challenging each other.”

Some civil servants have been accused of dragging their feet in getting back to the office after the Covid pandemic, preferring to work from home and avoid the cost of commuting in.

Individuals in the private sector have also adopted this work stance, though some bosses are increasingly insisted that their staff be in the office, or other workplace, for four or five days a week.

Civil servants are supposed to work at least three days a week in the office.

Ms Reeves stressed: “That first weekend when I was appointed Chancellor, I arrived at the Treasury about 3pm or 4pm on a Friday afternoon.

“We worked well into the evening, not just me and my political team but civil servants and we came in on the Saturday and the Sunday.

“We did that in the office, not on zoom.”

The Chancellor accepted the benefits of “flexible working” but made clear that she believes this was different from people largely working from home.

She explained: “We should be flexible.

“If someone has got a school play of their kid, or sports day, or if they have got an elderly parent they have got to take to a doctor’s appointment, I’m all for being flexible and making sure that people can be able to balance work and family life.

“But I do think that productivity gains are more likely to happen when you have that sharing of ideas and bringing people together, and I lead by example on that in my department and I think that it’s reaping dividends.”

Mr Reynolds appeared to be more supportive of people being able to WFH.

Flexible working laws could reduce regional inequality and contribute to productivity, the Business Secretary argued recently, as he criticised the Conservative Party for “declaring war on people working from home”.

The Government plans to ban the use of zero-hours contracts, make flexible working the default, and end policies of fire and re-hire, as part of its Employment Rights Bill, which was unveiled in July’s King’s Speech.

The Bill will also remove restrictions on trade unions and give workers day one rights, such as protection from unfair dismissal.

Speaking to The Times, Mr Reynolds argued that flexible working contributes to productivity.

He said: “We’ve had flexible working laws for quite some time in the UK.

“I think where people reach agreement with their employer … it does contribute to productivity, it does contribute to their resilience, their ability to stay working for an employer.”

“The UK has very significant regional inequality. It could play a significant contribution to tackling that,” he added.

He did concede that there are situations when it is “legitimate to need the workforce in the office”, such as when new employees need to learn from those more experienced.

On the Tory approach to workers’ rights, he said: “Jacob Rees-Mogg made this big thing as (then) Business Secretary in declaring war on people working from home.

“That’s pretty bizarre given the economic position the country was in and the real business agenda that needs to be pursued.”

Mr Reynolds also told the newspaper there is “genuinely nothing to worry about” when it comes to Labour’s plans to introduce rights for employees to disconnect, meaning they cannot be contacted outside of work hours.