How the AP Is Handling Its Return to the Office

A note to AP staff from Daisy Veerasingham, President and CEO, and Jessica Bruce, Senior Vice President, Human Resources & Corporate Communications:

After nearly two years of remote work and navigating a global pandemic, we are happy to share that we plan to return to regular work in AP’s offices around the world on Tuesday, April 12.

Upon our return, we will implement the hybrid model announced last summer, with employees working from the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. AP decided on Tuesdays and Wednesdays because they were the preferred choice in our survey of staff and managers. A third in-office day will be added later, and we will provide at least 30 days of notice before this takes effect. The hybrid policy applies to office-based staff who work during regular weekday business hours. Staff whose job functions necessitate in-office work will continue to work in the office each workday.

We firmly believe there is great value in bringing colleagues together for the in-person collaboration that helps us do our best work. We will try to be as flexible as possible at all locations at the outset as we adjust to returning.

The hybrid approach is AP’s new normal. There are no plans to require all employees to be back in the office five days a week. We believe this approach embraces the clear desire by many employees for more flexibility while also ensuring we continue to provide outstanding journalism.

The health and safety of our staff has been and continues to be our top priority. It is why we continue to strongly encourage all employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19 if the vaccine is available where you are.

U.S. staff will be required to be fully vaccinated and must upload their proof of vaccination by our April 12 return date.

Returning to the office will be an adjustment. To ensure a smooth transition, we encourage you to visit the office in the coming weeks to acclimate to your routine and setup.

We will host departmental town halls this week to answer your questions about returning to our offices. Please feel free to submit questions ahead of time by emailing [email protected]. AP’s hybrid policy and frequently asked questions are available on InsideAP.

Thank you for rising to the occasion during these tumultuous two years. We have a lot to be proud of and look forward to as we return to our offices in a new, flexible way.

We look forward to seeing many of you in person beginning next month.