Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Tuesday, Jan 13, 2026

Mastercard staff can work from home 'until ready'

Mastercard staff can work from home 'until ready'

Mastercard staff can continue working from home until they "feel comfortable" going to the office amid the pandemic.

The credit card firm employs about 20,000 people globally, with a "large percentage" now working from home.

Rather than forcing them back to offices, staff can make their own decision on timings, it said.

Twitter said last week it would allow staff to work from home "forever" as a growing number of firms rethink work arrangements.

"Today, a large percentage of our team is working remotely, even as most offices remain open," a Mastercard spokesman said.

"At the end of the day, our employees will make the decision on when they feel comfortable returning to an office. They know their personal circumstances and needs".

Tech giants Facebook and Google have also relaxed back-to-office policies and say they will let employees to continue working from home for the rest of the year.


Waiting for a vaccine


While about 90% of Mastercard's employees are working from home, this may go down once there is adequate testing and a vaccine is found, it said.

In an interview with the BBC's Asia Business Report, Mastercard's chief executive Ajay Banga said he thought that was still "some time away".

"I'm not planning on getting back to a pre-Covid growth scenario for another year. I think that could be sometime next year when a vaccine is readily available and readily distributed."


Future of work


Mastercard said it was also looking at consolidating some of its offices. It has created a "future of work" task force that is figuring out how best to handle employee needs and real estate amid the coronavirus crisis.

The company has its headquarters New York, but also has regional hubs in Dubai, Singapore and Brussels.

UK bank Barclays has also questioned the need for having thousands of its workers in big and expensive city offices. This "may be a thing of the past", its chief executive Jes Staley said last month.

About 70,000 of Barclays' staff worldwide are working from home due to coronavirus lockdown measures which has led to a rethink of the bank's long-term "location strategy", Mr Staley said.

Mastercard employees who work in its offices must now follow social distancing rules, wear face masks and undergo temperature checks.

"One day, I think probably aided by a vaccine, and the ability therefore for the workers and consumers to get the confidence they need, we can get back to thinking about a pre-Covid kind of growth stage," said Mr Banga. "I still think that's some time away."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Designates Saudi Arabia a Major Non-NATO Ally, Elevating US–Riyadh Defense Partnership
Trump Organization Deepens Saudi Property Focus with $10 Billion Luxury Developments
There is no sovereign immunity for poisoning millions with drugs.
Mohammed bin Salman’s Global Standing: Strategic Partner in Transition Amid Debate Over His Role
Saudi Arabia Opens Property Market to Foreign Buyers in Landmark Reform
The U.S. State Department’s account in Persian: “President Trump is a man of action. If you didn’t know it until now, now you do—do not play games with President Trump.”
CNN’s Ranking of Israel’s Women’s Rights Sparks Debate After Misleading Global Index Comparison
Saudi Arabia’s Shifting Regional Alignment Raises Strategic Concerns in Jerusalem
OPEC+ Holds Oil Output Steady Amid Member Tensions and Market Oversupply
Iranian Protests Intensify as Another Revolutionary Guard Member Is Killed and Khamenei Blames the West
President Trump Says United States Will Administer Venezuela Until a Secure Leadership Transition
Delta Force Identified as Unit Behind U.S. Operation That Captured Venezuela’s President
Trump Announces U.S. Large-Scale Strike on Venezuela, Declares President Maduro and Wife Captured
Saudi-UAE Rift Adds Complexity to Middle East Diplomacy as Trump Signals Firm Leadership
OPEC+ to Keep Oil Output Policy Unchanged Despite Saudi-UAE Tensions Over Yemen
Saudi Arabia and UAE at Odds in Yemen Conflict as Southern Offensive Deepens Gulf Rift
Abu Dhabi ‘Capital of Capital’: How Abu Dhabi Rose as a Sovereign Wealth Power
Diamonds Are Powering a New Quantum Revolution
Trump Threatens Strikes Against Iran if Nuclear Programme Is Restarted
Why Saudi Arabia May Recalibrate Its US Spending Commitments Amid Rising China–America Rivalry
Riyadh Air’s First Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Completes Initial Test Flight, Advancing Saudi Carrier’s Launch
Saudi Arabia’s 2025: A Pivotal Year of Global Engagement and Domestic Transformation
Saudi Arabia to Introduce Sugar-Content Based Tax on Sweetened Drinks from January 2026
Saudi Hotels Prepare for New Hospitality Roles as Alcohol Curbs Ease
Global Airports Forum Highlights Saudi Arabia’s Emergence as a Leading Aviation Powerhouse
Saudi Arabia Weighs Strategic Choice on Iran Amid Regional Turbulence
Not Only F-35s: Saudi Arabia to Gain Access to the World’s Most Sensitive Technology
Saudi Arabia Condemns Sydney Bondi Beach Shooting and Expresses Solidarity with Australia
Washington Watches Beijing–Riyadh Rapprochement as Strategic Balance Shifts
Saudi Arabia Urges Stronger Partnerships and Efficient Aid Delivery at OCHA Donor Support Meeting in Geneva
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 Drives Measurable Lift in Global Reputation and Influence
Alcohol Policies Vary Widely Across Muslim-Majority Countries, With Many Permitting Consumption Under Specific Rules
Saudi Arabia Clarifies No Formal Ban on Photography at Holy Mosques for Hajj 2026
Libya and Saudi Arabia Sign Strategic MoU to Boost Telecommunications Cooperation
Elon Musk’s xAI Announces Landmark 500-Megawatt AI Data Center in Saudi Arabia
Israel Moves to Safeguard Regional Stability as F-35 Sales Debate Intensifies
Cardi B to Make Historic Saudi Arabia Debut at Soundstorm 2025 Festival
U.S. Democratic Lawmakers Raise National Security and Influence Concerns Over Paramount’s Hostile Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery
Hackers Are Hiding Malware in Open-Source Tools and IDE Extensions
Traveling to USA? Homeland Security moving toward requiring foreign travelers to share social media history
Wall Street Analysts Clash With Riyadh Over Saudi Arabia’s Deficit Outlook
Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Cement $1 Trillion-Plus Deals in High-Profile White House Summit
Saudi Arabia Opens Alcohol Sales to Wealthy Non-Muslim Residents Under New Access Rules
U.S.–Saudi Rethink Deepens — Washington Moves Ahead Without Linking Riyadh to Israel Normalisation
Saudi Arabia and Israel Deprioritise Diplomacy: Normalisation No Longer a Middle-East Priority
Saudi Arabia Positions Itself as the Backbone of the Global AI Era
As Trump Deepens Ties with Saudi Arabia, Push for Israel Normalization Takes a Back Seat
Thai Food Village Debuts at Saudi Feast Food Festival 2025 Under Thai Commerce Minister Suphajee’s Lead
Saudi Arabia Sharpens Its Strategic Vision as Economic Transformation Enters New Phase
Saudi Arabia Projects $44 Billion Budget Shortfall in 2026 as Economy Rebalances
×