PwC’s Wellbeing Reset: Trust, Autonomy, and the RAG Dilemma
August signals the end of summer holidays and the start of a new season at work. For many professionals, it’s the perfect moment to reset: clearing inboxes, setting fresh goals, and recommitting to healthier routines. Organisations, too, often use this time to refresh their approach to culture and wellbeing.
This year, however, PwC’s version of a “reset” has made headlines for all the wrong reasons. The firm has reportedly introduced a Red-Amber-Green (RAG) system to track office attendance, labelling staff as red (non-compliant), amber, or green depending on their presence in the office. For some, it’s a step towards clarity and accountability. For many others, it feels like being graded at school, hardly the hallmark of a progressive, people-first culture.
So, what does PwC’s approach tell us about the challenges of creating genuine wellbeing resets in today’s workplace?
The Good: PwC’s investment in wellbeing
To be fair, PwC has built a strong reputation for supporting employee wellbeing. Its benefits and initiatives go beyond the basics:
- Mental health support: Employee assistance programmes, resilience training, and mental health champions across the business.
- Flexible working: A long-standing hybrid approach that lets staff design more balanced workweeks.
- Family-friendly policies: Enhanced parental leave and support for carers.
- Purpose and inclusion: High-profile commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring that employees feel they belong.
These are not just add-ons; they’ve been central to PwC’s employer brand for years, helping attract and retain top talent. Many of their policies have been ahead of the curve in the professional services industry.
The Controversial: RAG rating employees
And yet, the recent news about RAG ratings has sparked heated debate. The system is reportedly being used to monitor how often staff are in the office, with managers expected to review attendance data and categorise employees.
From a management perspective, the logic is straightforward: visibility drives collaboration, and office attendance is one lever for boosting team connection. But culture is rarely that simple.
For employees, being colour-coded like schoolchildren raises deeper questions about trust and respect. Does being “red” mean you’re less committed, even if your output is strong? Does “green” equate to loyalty, even if presenteeism trumps productivity? Such labelling risks reducing complex human behaviour into simplistic metrics, and undermines the very wellbeing culture PwC has worked hard to build.
Reset or regression?
This moment highlights a broader paradox facing many organisations: how do you encourage a post-summer reset without slipping into control and surveillance?
A reset should feel empowering, giving people the space, tools, and encouragement to thrive. But when the message is “we don’t trust you unless we see you,” the effect is the opposite. Instead of renewed energy, employees may feel resentment, disengagement, or burnout.
Research consistently shows that trust and autonomy are key drivers of wellbeing and performance. According to Gallup, employees who feel trusted are 23% more likely to report higher levels of wellbeing, and 21% more engaged. Conversely, micromanagement and excessive monitoring are among the fastest ways to erode motivation.
PwC now faces a cultural contradiction: promoting wellbeing on one hand, while risking perceptions of mistrust on the other.
Lessons for leaders
The controversy surrounding PwC’s RAG ratings is a useful reminder for all leaders. Resets work best when they focus on empowerment, not policing. Some practical lessons:
- Trust before tracking. Data has its place, but the foundation of a healthy reset is trust. Employees are more likely to re-engage after summer when they feel trusted to manage their work.
- Measure outcomes, not hours. Productivity and performance should be judged on results, not time spent in a seat. An output-based culture drives both wellbeing and accountability.
- Adult-to-adult culture. Treat employees as adults capable of making responsible choices. Infantilising language or systems (like “red” lists) damages psychological safety.
- Dialogue over directives. Encourage open conversations about what resets are needed. For some teams, it’s more face-to-face time. For others, it’s flexibility, clarity, or mental health resources.
A different kind of reset
There’s no denying PwC is trying to solve a real problem. Many organisations are struggling to balance hybrid working, rebuild culture, and bring energy back into offices. But the method matters.
The firms that succeed this autumn won’t be those with the strictest rules, but those with the clearest purpose. Leaders who frame September as an opportunity to reset wellbeing, strengthen autonomy, and rebuild human connection will see lasting results.
Resetting isn’t about control. It’s about renewal. And that’s something every organisation, PwC included, should keep front of mind as we head into the final stretch of the year.
✦ Your People Power Spotlight brings you global examples of organisations leading the way in workplace culture, wellbeing, and social impact. This week, PwC offers both inspiration and caution, showing that resets only work when they’re rooted in trust.
👉 If your organisation would like to be featured in an upcoming Spotlight, get in touch with us at Your People Power. You can also catch up on our last feature: Airbnb – Supporting Communities in Crisis.