Vodafone employees in the UK are having their bonuses cut if they are in the office less than 8 days a month. Will anything change for specialists in Ukraine?

What’s happening?

«It is important that all employees adhere to the expectation of being in the office 2-3 times a week or at least eight days a month,» says the «Hybrid Working at Vodafone» memo, which the group’s employees in the UK received last week, The Register writes .

The document also warned that employees who do not fully comply with the company’s hybrid working policy in the UK by the end of the first quarter could face disciplinary action. «Prolonged failure to meet expected attendance may result in a final written warning, which will mean that individuals do not meet minimum performance standards and will therefore not be eligible for a bonus in 2026 or in subsequent years when the final warning is given,» the memo said.

Vodafone has been implementing a hybrid work policy for its employees since 2021, «post-pandemic.» But The Register, citing insiders, says the company has been encouraging people to return to an office schedule for the past six to nine months.

What is happening in Ukraine?

Vodafone’s Ukrainian offices have been practicing flexible working hours for many years, and employees have the opportunity to work remotely, the company told dev.ua. And Ukrainian realities significantly affect the possibilities and feasibility of spreading global trends regarding the return of employees to offices.

«It is not rational to clearly regulate the format of the working day for office employees in Ukraine today,» Vodafone noted, reporting that they have created all the necessary conditions for safe work. Not only are all of Vodafone’s Ukrainian offices equipped with storage facilities, even employees who advise clients by phone and online are able to continue working during air alarms thanks to the presence of an «underground» contact center, where workplaces for consultations are fully equipped.

Responding to the need for employees to visit the office in Ukraine, the company noted that the most important task for them today is the safety of employees. «For example, when there is a warning about a high probability of a massive missile attack and, accordingly, being in the center of Kyiv at that moment, conditionally, is not the best solution,» Vodafone noted. And added that they also take into account the migration of employees, as well as the psycho-emotional state of Ukrainians, which is influenced by modern realities.

So, regarding the work schedule, there are teams in Ukraine that go to the office once a week, several times, or work completely remotely. But the company added that if a person can reduce stress in this way, without wasting time traveling or being delayed due to anxiety, then it is only for the better for the company.

The chosen format does not affect the amount of remuneration or the receipt of a bonus. Vodafone emphasized that they focus on the result achieved by the employee. «The operational efficiency that the company has demonstrated over these two years proves the effectiveness of such an approach in today’s realities,» the company emphasized.

Read the country’s main IT news in our Telegram

On the topic

Read the country’s main IT news in our Telegram

Are you thinking about changing your mobile operator? We compared the conditions and features of Kyivstar, Vodafone, and lifecell. Who should you choose?

On the topic

Are you thinking about changing your mobile operator? We compared the conditions and features of Kyivstar, Vodafone, and lifecell. Who should you choose?

Vodafone has begun a large-scale modernization of the network of the fixed Internet operator «FRINET», which will replace FTTB technology with GPON

On the topic

Vodafone has begun a large-scale modernization of the network of the fixed Internet operator «FRINET», which will replace FTTB technology with GPON

Vodafone will increase service tariffs: what will the prices be from January 30

On the topic

Vodafone will increase service tariffs: what will the prices be from January 30