EY Calls Junior Staff Back to Office as AI Makes Soft Skills More Important

EY is encouraging its junior employees to spend more meaningful time in the office as artificial intelligence (AI) changes the skills needed to build a career in consulting. The Big Four firm has not changed its formal hybrid work policy, but partners are reminding younger consultants about the value of working alongside colleagues.

Advertisement

Sayeh Ghanbari, EY’s UK Head of Consulting, told the Financial Times that spending too much time working remotely could make it harder for employees to develop the human skills needed to succeed in an AI-driven workplace.

She said that as AI takes over more routine work, consultants will need to focus more on areas where human interaction remains important, including communication, relationship building and client engagement.

What EY’s message means for junior employees

The firm’s position can be summed up in five key points:

Advertisement

• No formal policy change: EY has not announced a new mandatory return-to-office requirement.
• More meaningful office time: Partners are encouraging younger consultants to spend more time with colleagues in person.
• Soft skills matter more: Communication, presentation, relationship building and client interaction are expected to become increasingly important as AI handles routine tasks.
• Learning from senior colleagues: EY believes junior employees can develop professional judgement and client-facing skills by working closely with experienced professionals.
• Flexibility remains: The firm says it continues to support its longstanding approach to flexible working.

Why EY believes office time matters

The consulting industry is increasingly looking at how AI could change the traditional career path for junior employees. As AI tools become capable of handling more technical analysis and routine tasks, senior professionals believe interpersonal skills could become a greater differentiator.

Also Read: We Want Employees to Connect. But How Close Is Too Close?

EY’s view is that these skills are often developed through day-to-day interactions with experienced colleagues. Junior employees can learn how to present ideas, communicate with clients, handle discussions and understand professional expectations by observing and working with senior team members.

Advertisement

An EY spokesperson said the company is maintaining its “longstanding approach to flexibility”. However, the firm also believes that spending more time with colleagues in the office can help employees develop skills, build relationships and support clients.

A wider debate over hybrid work

EY is not alone in making this argument. Leaders across banking and technology have also linked office attendance with professional development, particularly for younger employees.

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has previously argued that junior bankers benefit from being around experienced colleagues. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has also said the growth of AI has made in-person interaction more important.

The issue has become particularly relevant for employees who started their careers during the pandemic. Accounting and consulting firms have observed that some graduates who began working remotely had fewer opportunities to develop presentation, communication and client-facing skills through everyday workplace interactions.

Companies have responded with additional training and greater efforts to bring junior and senior employees together. However, most firms continue to balance these concerns with employee demand for flexibility.

For now, EY’s approach is not a return-to-office mandate. Instead, the message to junior employees is that while flexible working remains, spending meaningful time with colleagues could become increasingly important as AI reshapes consulting careers.