In a direct, no-nonsense email sent on Tuesday, Donald Trump threw down the gauntlet to federal government workers. By next Thursday, they must decide whether they wish to participate in a hastily arranged “deferred resignation” programme, which offers those who choose to leave their jobs in September a severance package equivalent to about eight months’ worth of salary. Nice deal, right?
But it wasn’t just about the money. Trump also made it crystal clear that all civil servants opting to remain in their positions must return to the office five days a week. No exceptions, no hybrid models. Five days. Every week. The message was stark: work properly, come to the office, do the job, and then go home—just like the old days. While there are certainly some of Trump’s decisions I don’t fully agree with, this one? It could not have come at a better time.
The war on home working, initiated by Trump last week, is one I believe should be swiftly adopted by the UK government. Our civil service, quite frankly, is a disgrace. At present, civil servants are still threatening strike action over the demand to return to the office for just two days a week. Clearly, for them, a five-day weekend seems to better suit their notion of what constitutes a job.
The reason they feel entitled to behave like this is that the government has shown an increasingly weak approach to home working. The previous Conservative government set a guideline that civil servants should spend at least 60% of their working week in a government building or on official business. Keir Starmer’s Labour government has kept this expectation, citing the “clear benefits of face-to-face working,” despite Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds’ claim that working from home doesn’t affect productivity.
Reynolds, a man who has rarely, if ever, worked in the private sector, appears oblivious to the core principles that govern employment. He insists that flexible working and working from home create a more productive and loyal workforce, suggesting that employers should focus on outcomes rather than “presenteeism.” But he’s hardly qualified to comment on the dynamics of private-sector employment. Given this, it’s no wonder civil servants, including those in HM Land Registry, have raised concerns about the 60% office attendance rule and are even threatening strike action.
It’s clear that the political tide has turned, particularly in the US, where Trump’s second term is garnering more support than his first. Over here, Starmer and his team are undoubtedly keenly aware of the optics surrounding Trump’s political comeback, though the Labour leader and his colleagues must know they have a long way to go before they can take on Trump’s demands around defence spending and the looming threat of tariffs. They must also grapple with a corporate culture that has been heavily influenced by American working practices, a culture that now sees remote working as the norm.
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British companies are desperate for the government to show some backbone regarding these working practices. It’s no secret that the shift towards remote working is contributing to the shaky foundations of our GDP, as it’s been quickly institutionalised as an accepted practice.
Last year, Cabinet Office minister Georgia Gould said that Starmer’s government is “committed to supporting individuals and businesses to work in ways that best suit their particular circumstances,” conveniently forgetting that it is a civil servant’s duty to serve the public, not the other way around.
Trump has long pledged to cut the size of the government and reduce federal spending, a promise he seems intent on fulfilling. Earlier this week, Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff for policy, told CNN that the US government’s federal workers were “overwhelmingly left of centre” and that it was “essential” for Trump to “get control of government.” It’s clear that Trump is committed to reshaping the American workforce, and the UK should take note.
Keir Starmer should take a leaf out of Trump’s playbook and end the remote-working farce. It’s time to remind civil servants that they are there to serve the public and not indulge in a cushy five-day weekend. The government must stop pandering to this lazy, inefficient workforce and demand that civil servants return to the office, five days a week. Anything less is a dereliction of duty.
