Two more big finance companies ask workers to stay at home

American Express and BlackRock are the latest big companies to encourage employees to start 2022 working remotely while Covid-19 cases soar.

“We’ve seen an exponential increase in the spread of the Ômicron variant across the world,” said AmEx CEO Stephen Squeri in a memo to employees on Tuesday (4). “We encourage all those who can do their jobs effectively at home to continue doing so.”

New York-based AmEx said it has decided to postpone the Jan. 24 launch of a new flexible working plan that will require most employees to stay in the office one to three days a week.

The CEO of AmEx (AXP) said the launch is delayed “until we feel comfortable bringing a large number of colleagues back into the office.”

Meanwhile, BlackRock (BLK), which is also based in New York, is encouraging employees to “work from where they are most comfortable” as a result of the Ômicron variant, company spokesman Aziz Nayani told CNN.

“Our offices are still open and employees can work in the office if they want,” said a spokesperson for BlackRock.

Prior to the holiday, BlackRock encouraged flexibility with employees’ workplaces through January 7th. The world’s biggest asset manager notified employees late last week that flexibility will be extended until Jan. 28.

This is all a change from BlackRock’s previous policy, where US employees in most cities were required to come to the office three days a week, on average.

Several major companies have revised their back-to-office plans in recent days, including major New York-based banks JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and Jefferies.

The changes underscore the concern among employees about crowded offices, elevators and crowded subways, due to the worsening health situation.

New York Mayor Eric Adams has postponed a return to telecommuting, fearing that empty office buildings will harm the ecosystem of workers who depend on office workers and business travelers, including dry cleaners, restaurants and hot dog vendors.

“We have low-skilled employees who can’t work from home or telecommuting,” Adams told CNN’s Brianna Keilar on Tuesday (4). “It’s time to open up and nurture our ecosystem, our financial ecosystem.”