KPMG has told hundreds of its UK employees to turn in their company mobile phones. The request was made as part of a cost-saving policy amid its latest financial results.
The firm said that those most affected will be the people working in non-client facing roles and junior staff in administrative jobs.
The Financial Times reported that KPMG would start collecting the mobile phones in October – this is to give those without a personal mobile time to make alternative plans.
A KPMG UK spokesperson said: “Over the past year we have invested in a range of technologies to support our people, which enable them to work from home or the office with ease. As a result we have less need for mobile phones in certain areas of the business.”
KPMG noted the change will not affect those whose roles require a lot of travel or who need to be contacted out of hours by their clients or team.
The International Accounting Bulletin reported last week that KPMG plans to cut almost a third of its administrative support staff in an effort to save costs.
According to The Guardian, KMPG explained the change in an internal memo sent to its UK staff: “To realise our growth ambition, we need to improve our profitability by building a leaner, more responsive cost base. This will help free up funds to invest in the future of the firm – to recruit and retain the best talent and invest in big, integrated solutions.
“Right now, our cost base is the most expensive of the larger KPMG member firms and the most expensive of the big four in the UK. We regularly review our ways of working to ensure they are market-competitive and affordable for the business.”
