ANZ Staff Face Pay Penalties for Excessive Remote Work Under Hybrid Policy

Introduction
ANZ Bank has come under scrutiny after reports surfaced that staff could face salary penalties if they fail to spend enough time in the office. The policy, detailed in internal emails obtained by the Australian Financial Review, ties pay outcomes to employee attendance as part of the bank’s hybrid working model.

Details of the Policy
ANZ requires staff to work from the office at least **50 per cent of the time**. An email sent to managers last week reportedly outlined attendance records between **October 2024 and July 2025**, with instructions to reprimand staff falling short of the requirement.

The measures outlined included:

• Less than 20% attendance: staff ineligible for salary increases without an exemption.
• 21%–40% attendance: variable pay could be reduced by up to half, depending on seniority and exemptions.
• 41%–49% attendance: no direct penalty, but managers required to review reasons for non-compliance.

Bank’s Response
An ANZ spokesperson defended the policy, saying hybrid expectations had been in place for years:
“Our expectation is that our people spend at least 50% of their scheduled work time in an ANZ workplace, with flexibility to work the other half remotely. This has been made clear to employees, including potential impacts on future remuneration if exceptions aren’t in place.”

Context and Employee Concerns
The revelations come in the same week ANZ admitted to an **email bungle** that inadvertently informed staff about returning company laptops before they had been formally told they were being made redundant. The mistake sparked outrage among staff and raised concerns about communication and governance during a period of organisational restructuring under new CEO **Nuno Matos**, who began in July.

Corporate governance expert **Helen Bird** said the restructuring reflected a degree of “ruthlessness and speed”:
“Every new CEO wants to put their stamp on a business. Mistakes take on a higher impact when they occur amid swift structural change.”

Hybrid Work and Industry Trends
The ANZ policy highlights broader tensions in corporate Australia, where employees increasingly expect flexibility while companies attempt to reassert office culture. Surveys show strong voter support for enshrining a **“right to work from home”**, but major employers continue to tie career progression and pay to in-person attendance.

Conclusion
ANZ’s approach underscores the evolving battleground over hybrid work arrangements. As the bank enforces stricter in-office thresholds with pay penalties, it risks further tension with staff navigating redundancies and uncertainty. For corporate Australia, the move adds to debates about whether return-to-office policies strike the right balance between productivity, culture, and employee wellbeing.