Truist makes two big changes in return to office plans due to delta variant concerns

Truist Bank has paused its return to office plans in Charlotte over rising concerns about the continued spread of COVID-19, the bank confirmed Tuesday evening.

The Charlotte-based bank has updated its safety protocols “due to rising concerns over the COVID-19 Delta variant, a substantial increase in cases across our markets, and the CDC’s recent guidance,” Truist said in a statement to the Observer.

Truist started bringing some employees back to the office in a phased approach beginning June 1, and a small number of workers have already returned to the office or started hybrid work arrangements, the bank said.

Those employees can continue coming in to work, but must wear masks regardless of vaccination status.

But the remaining phases of the bank’s return to work plan won’t begin until October and November.

As recently as last month, the bank had planned for most of its employees to return to in-person work by Oct. 1.

Truist said that the company will continue to closely monitor the situation and follow the latest guidance from health experts.

The bank is also asking employees to participate in a voluntary vaccine tracking tool to provide data on vaccine adoption for policy and protocol decisions, it said.

Truist, formerly BB&T and SunTrust, employs about 2,800 people in the Charlotte area.

Other companies change plans

Truist is not the only Charlotte company to alter its return to work policies in the wake of rising concerns from public health officials over the continued spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19.

On Monday, Lowe’s and Duke Energy, two of Charlotte’s largest employers, implemented mask requirements for employees when indoors regardless of vaccination status.

And Charlotte’s two largest hospital systems, Novant Health and Atrium Health, announced July 23 that they would require all employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19.