Rusneftegaz has set forth a comprehensive plan to end permanent remote working across all company sites and locations as soon as practicable, with all office-based personnel expected to be functioning from their conventional places of work at least two days per week by the beginning of April. Whilst a significant percentage of staff have returned to their regular place of work voluntarily, management now believes it is now an appropriate time to begin to return to pre-pandemic normalcy. After an extensive internal consultation, it has been determined that the vast majority of our employees elected to be vaccinated, and data collated rigorously since March 2020 indicated that workers in an office are more efficient than their colleagues whom complete their roles from elsewhere. Likewise, tasks organized in a professional environment allow for greater analysis, subjectivity and collaboration between workers, and also for assignments to be finished expediently when compared to those working remotely. Whilst certain staff shall only visit their workstations two days per week initially, management is set to install a phased plan for a full return to the pre-2020 regimen, regardless of employee vaccination status, unless local regulations otherwise dictate. In response to this announcement, our Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Aleksandr Filyurin, gave this statement:
“From a personal perspective, I am delighted that we are able to announce a permanent end of the remote working arrangement. We originally intended to try and end this last year, but obviously that was impossible from a health perspective. We have observed that for the majority of our staff who have made use of our remote working arrangement that their productivity has been much worse than working in an office environment. Now, there are many reasons for this, and I am not going to blame anyone in particular, but this needs to end, and it needs to end completely. We are obviously willing to accommodate some of our staff who are more hesitant to return to normality for health reasons, but fortunately this is rare, and we think there are alternative remedies for this. Like I said, I am very pleased with this announcement, as we all are, and I hope that I am able to provide you with another update soon as we look to bring this period to an end.”
By the beginning of April, it is anticipated that a sizeable majority of all our personnel shall be at their workstations full-time, although a staged approach may be available in certain instances at the discretion of local directors for those unable to return. Those who are returning should be reassured that management continues to maintain meticulous systems to guarantee employee health, for example, the fastidious and thorough cleaning regime implemented at the onset of the crisis is to be retained for the foreseeable future, and it has been undertaken that site managers will continue to ensure all workplaces are well ventilated. Whilst, certain coronavirus mitigation measures are to be abolished, those who contract coronavirus will be expected to work remotely or take sick leave accordingly. However, we will no longer be conducting temperature checks upon arrival in locations where this practice has continued to be mandatory, and staff will be advised to wear facial protection, such as a mask, visor or covering, in lieu of a company-wide mandate. Similarly, management intends to remove distancing provisions, such as transparent barriers, from all sites unless staff specifically request otherwise. Across all locations, it will become the prerogative of the employee to decide if they wish to remain apart from their colleagues, but Rusneftegaz will not accommodate unreasonable requests to preserve distancing measures. Any employer queries regarding these changes should be directed towards their corresponding manager, and we necessitate your cooperation and understanding with this crucial matter.
