Four retailers that have U-turned on flexible working policies

At the start of the week, former Asda chairman Lord Stuart Rose sparked debate by criticising remote working, claiming it has fostered a generation of employees who are “not doing proper work.”
Rose argued that the rise of remote work post-pandemic is damaging productivity across industries, with retail being one of the hardest-hit sectors.
His remarks follow Asda’s move in November to call its 5,000 head office staff back to the office for at least three days a week, abandonin