Sir Jim Ratcliffe shows ruthless streak to Man United staff

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Sir Jim Ratcliffe has reportedly informed Manchester United staff to 'seek alternative employment' if they are not prepared to work from the club's premises, as he continues to reform the club.

The co-owner of Old Trafford is clamping down on remote working in an effort to enhance productivity amid the club's ongoing transformation. According to The Guardian, during a meeting, the INEOS billionaire made his stance unequivocally clear, stating: "If you don't like it, please seek alternative employment."

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, United had adopted a flexible approach to working from home, but this policy was rescinded by Ratcliffe at a recent all-staff assembly, which people joined both physically and via video link. After touring Old Trafford and Carrington, Ratcliffe used email traffic data to support his expectation for staff to be office-based.

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Ratcliffe, who holds a 27.7 per cent share in the club, shared that in one of his businesses where they trialled home working on Fridays, there was a noticeable 20 per cent reduction in email correspondence a statistic that he believes justifies his hardline stance.

However, the implementation of this new directive poses logistical issues. Reports suggest that there may not be sufficient space to house all employees at the Manchester and London offices, and some staff have flexible contracts that do not require them to work from the club's offices.

It seems that Ratcliffe's latest decision could stir discontent among the club's staff. Unlike last year's FA Cup final against Manchester City, where all 1,100 employees were given complimentary tickets and transport, this time around, United's workforce has been informed they will need to fork out £20 for coach travel, with no lunch included for their journey to Wembley.

The internal email outlined: "In recognition of your ongoing support this season, we will organise a colleague trip to Wembley for the final on 25 May. This year, the trip will be a little different. We will still provide you with a complimentary ticket to the game. However, we'll ask you to contribute towards coach travel, and lunch will not be provided."

The message continued: "While we appreciate this is a change from previous trips, you will all be aware of the need for us to spend the club's money effectively, with a focus on performance and outcomes."

The email concluded with: "We hope that this year's trip balances the opportunity for you to go to Wembley to support our players while also ensuring we can invest as much as possible into the club over the coming months to achieve our goal of returning Manchester United back to the top of English, European and world football."

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