Morrisons has ended its 4.5 day working week policy for head office staff, ordering a return to five-day office working patterns as it ramps up efforts to turn around its business.

The supermarket chain told colleagues this month that its flexible working pilot, which has allowed staff to compress their hours since 2020, has now been withdrawn, reported The Telegraph.

Speaking to the publication, a spokesperson said: “In the context of a relentlessly competitive UK grocery market and widespread increased cost pressures, we have taken the difficult decision to ask our head office colleagues to move their working pattern from 4.5 days to a full five day week.”

They added that the new policy would improve customer service and ensure shelves are better stocked.

The move comes as CEO Rami Baitiéh continues to drive a wide-ranging transformation at the retailer, aimed at recapturing lost market share from discount rivals such as Aldi and Lidl.

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However, despite the shift, some employees will retain the option to work both remotely and in-office during the week, with flexible arrangements considered on a case-by-case basis.

The latest change marks a reversal of Morrisons’ long-standing flexible working policy, first introduced during the pandemic as a way to boost recruitment and retention.

The grocer later adjusted the model following feedback about weekend working, settling on the now-scrapped 4.5-day structure.

The change also coincides with Morrisons’ efforts to sharpen operations and better compete on value. While the supermarket reported a 4.2% sales uplift to £3.9bn in the 13 weeks to 27 April, Kantar data showed market share dipped to 8.4% in May, down from 8.6% a year earlier.

Elsewhere fellow retailers, including Asda, have also walked back flexible week trials after mixed feedback.

CEO Rami Baitiéh last week said that Morrisons had bounced back strongly following last year’s cyber disruption, but warned there is more work to do to win back shoppers.

In the 13 weeks to 27 April 2025, total sales increased 4.2% to £3.9bn, while underlying EBITDA for the first half rose 7.2% to £344m.