(Reuters) - Kroger (NYSE:KR) said on Tuesday its associates would be returning to its offices in Cincinnati and other locations for more days in the week from February next year.
"Remote working" had gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing employees to stay out of offices and work from home. However, with the pandemic subsiding, employers are now asking employees to return to offices, citing higher efficiency and better collaboration.
"To better support our teams, our customers and the communities we serve, beginning February 5, 2024, associates will be coming into their assigned offices for three to four days a week," a spokesperson for the retailer told Reuters in an emailed statement.
The company said the move would impact about 5,800 associates in the Greater Cincinnati as well as in other locations such as North Carolina, Illinois and Florida, among others.
The U.S. supermarket chain said it had encouraged its employees to spend at least two days a week in the office since June 2021.
As of Jan. 28, Kroger employed nearly 430,000 full and part-time employees, according to a regulatory filing.