Booking may require employees to work from the office two days a week

The Amsterdam District Court has ruled that Booking.com is permitted to require its employees to spend at least 40 percent of their working time in the office. This decision concludes a legal dispute between the travel giant and its works council, which had initially blocked the company's efforts to enforce a minimum attendance policy. Booking.com initiated the proceedings because it argued that in-person collaboration is essential for maintaining a positive company culture and fostering team connection.

Prior to this mandate, the company observed low office attendance rates at its headquarters. The management contended that requiring staff to be physically present two days per week, in the case of a full-time schedule, would facilitate better communication and cooperation among team members. The court found these arguments regarding the benefits of interpersonal contact sufficiently persuasive to allow the company to implement the new attendance requirements, overriding the opposition from the workers' representatives.