WPP employees appear to be pushing back on the holding company’s new four-day in-office requirement.

A petition started by “Concerned WPP Employees” on Change.org called for WPP CEO Mark Read to reconsider the policy, which was announced Tuesday and is set to take effect in April.

“In a post-COVID world where many businesses have embraced flexible working styles, WPP’s decision seems to be a step backwards in supporting employee well-being and work-life balance, citing anecdotal data that either does not exist or has been misrepresented,” reads the petition. “The mental and social effects on employees due to such rigid work regimes can be extensive. Therefore, we call on Mark Read and the decision-making body at WPP to reconsider this mandate and adopt a policy that respects and prioritizes the well-being and preferences of its employees.”

It’s unclear who exactly started the petition, which, as of writing, has over 2,000 signatures and several comments deriding the policy. Anyone can sign and comment on the petition. (WPP has a little over 100,000 employees.) 

“Research shows that women, particularly mums of young children, are the first to suffer from RTO policies, often having to move part-time or leave jobs entirely due to childcare costs/needing to spend time with children,” one person commented. “WFH a few times a week made the juggle that bit more manageable—for many it now won’t be.”

In his memo, Read said the company will offer some employees a more flexible work policy, “including for those with caring responsibilities, health issues and other considerations.”

In response to the petition, a WPP spokesperson said: “We believe this is the right policy for the long-term interests of the company as a whole, knowing that it won’t be popular with everyone. And we will take the time to implement it in a collaborative and pragmatic way with our teams.”

WPP was the world’s largest agency company based on 2023 revenue. (If Omnicom’s plan to acquire Interpublic Group of Cos. is completed, it would become the largest agency company by 2023 revenue.)

“The data from across WPP agencies shows that higher levels of office attendance are associated with stronger employee engagement, improved client survey scores and better financial performance,” Read wrote in his memo. “More of our clients are moving in this direction and expecting it of the teams who work with them.”