Asos claims virtual meetings are ‘detrimental’ to company performance

British e-tailer Asos has reportedly warned its employees about the impact of virtual meetings, stating that they are “detrimental” to the performance of the company.

It comes at a time when Asos is believed to be in the process of bringing its teams back to the office more days a week, with possible disciplinary action to be initiated for those who don’t adhere to its return-to-office policy, according to The Telegraph.

While some teams are already required to be in the office at least three days a week, the media outlet said that creative, marketing and production teams must carry out most of their meetings in person. This is largely due to the belief that virtual meetings put a “strain” on the overarching team.

Among formats deemed “vital” for in-person attendance are that of brainstorms, pre-production meetings and commercial meetings, it was reported, as well as sessions in which physical clothing is present.

Such emphasis on wider company performance comes at a time when Asos is undergoing a major company turnaround, a strategy it launched following a series of underperforming financials in recent years.

This continued into the first half period of the current financial year, when the company reported an adjusted pre-tax loss of 120 million pounds alongside a total sales decline of 18 percent.