Two months into the new year, employee frustration at Burberry Americas is mounting.

Under the leadership of CEO Joshua Schulman and Americas President Laura Dubin-Wander, the luxury brand is undergoing cultural and operational shifts, including a return-to-office mandate that has left employees feeling blindsided and micromanaged, Glossy has exclusively learned. The brand is set to show its latest collection at London Fashion Week on February 24.

In mid-December, two weeks before the holiday, employees working in Burberry’s Americas offices received an HR email announcing an increase in required in-office days, from three to four per week, starting in January, according to an insider source. This adjustment to the longstanding Monday-Wednesday schedule added Thursdays, forcing many employees to scramble for childcare and rebalance work-life responsibilities with little notice.

A little over a month later, a follow-up HR email seen by Glossy further exacerbated concerns: Employees would be required to maintain a four-day in-office schedule even during weeks that include company holidays. That means if a holiday falls on a Monday — such as this week’s Presidents’ Day — employees must report to the office on Friday to make up for the lost day. The policy has left employees feeling penalized for something out of their control.

“I haven’t seen a policy like this before,” said Mark Kluger, founding partner of employment law firm Kluger Healey. “Most companies recognize holidays as an opportunity for a break, not something that requires additional in-office work. If anything, this could set a precedent for unnecessary friction between leadership and employees.”

According to Eric Mochnacz, head of operations at the HR consultancy Red Clover, companies implementing abrupt RTO changes often fail to recognize the long-term impact on morale. “Employees fundamentally want choice,” he said. “The past five years reshaped expectations around flexibility, and many companies, especially those in high-rent markets, are using RTO policies to justify office expenses rather than actually improve collaboration.”

In July 2024, Joshua Schulman was appointed CEO, succeeding Jonathan Akeroyd. Schulman, formerly the head of Michael Kors, introduced the Burberry Forward strategic plan in November, aiming to refocus the brand on its heritage products like trench coats and scarves. This plan also includes a £40 million ($50.6 million) cost-cutting initiative and the recruitment of new leaders in marketing and planning.

Additionally, Paul Price returned to Burberry as chief product merchandising and planning officer in December 2024. Previous executive changes included the appointment of Kate Ferry as CFO in September 2023 and Klaus Bierbrauer as chief supply chain and industrial officer in April 2023.

Burberry’s June 2024 layoffs impacting U.K. employees thinned the workforce, leaving remaining employees to absorb extra responsibilities without additional compensation, sources told Glossy. According to multiple sources who asked to remain anonymous, the increased RTO mandate is the latest in a string of policies that show “a lack of trust and respect” from leadership. Burberry did not respond for comment in time for publication.

Experts say that rushed RTO policies carry legal and operational risks. While RTO itself is not legally problematic, how it is implemented can be. “Consistency is key,” said Kluger. “If exceptions are made for some employees and not others — particularly around caregiving responsibilities or disabilities — it could open the door to discrimination claims.”

Beyond the legal implications, the policy shift is emblematic of a broader industry debate: whether in-office mandates actually benefit collaboration and creativity.

“There’s no clear proof that four or five days in an office leads to better work,” said Mochnacz. “What we do know is that sudden policy shifts erode employee trust. If employees feel disrespected, they won’t hesitate to leave.”

For its third quarter ending December 28, 2024, Burberry reported a 4% decline in comparable store sales, beating analysts’ expectations of a 12% drop, with strong performance in the U.S. market contributing to the better-than-expected results.

https://www.glossy.co/fashion/burberrys-return-to-office-mandate-sparks-employee-backlash/