Major consulting firms in the UK are rethinking their remote work policies. According to the Financial Times, companies are considering having junior staff spend more time in the office. The news was first reported by Incrypted, citing FT sources.

What’s going on

The rise of artificial intelligence is shaking up consulting: more and more technical and repetitive tasks are now handled by AI. This shift is putting a premium on in-person communication and teamwork, so there’s talk of bringing junior consultants back to the office more often.

Why firms are changing course

As algorithms take over repetitive work, the value of skills that are tough to develop remotely—like communication, empathy, leadership, and client interaction—goes up. Being in the office makes mentoring and quick feedback much easier, which is crucial early in a consultant’s career.

Who’s in the spotlight

Leaders at EY, KPMG, and other major firms are discussing tweaks to how their teams operate. The focus is on junior staff: they may be asked to come into the office more frequently to speed up skill-building and gain experience that’s hard to get without face-to-face interaction.