AmEx employees have been working remotely during the pandemic but as restrictions ease, the card firm is looking to begin opening up offices.

The 'Amex Flex' model will go into effect in locations only when the company make its full return to the office, which will start with the US, UK and Germany on January 24 at the earliest.

"Our traditional way of working has changed," chief executive officer Stephen J. Squeri says in a memo sent to all staff. "The office is no longer the only place where most colleagues can effectively get work done, as we’ve proven throughout the last 18 months. We want to build on the progress we’ve made working virtually, including how we’ve become more efficient and agile, gained greater flexibility to manage our professional and personal lives, and levelled the playing field for colleagues across band levels and locations."

The new Amex Flex model will have three basic work designations - hybrid, in which staff are required to travel into the office for at least two days a week, onsite, and fully virtual.

The model also includes a 'work from anywhere' component in which staff will have the opportunity to work from home in a country of their choosing for up to four calendar weeks in a year.

In a staff survey conducted earlier this year, nearly 80% of employees said they want to come back to the office at least some of the time.

"As a result, we expect a large majority of our colleagues will work hybrid schedules," says Squeri. "At the same time, we expect to have more fully virtual colleagues than we did pre-pandemic, and those who need or want to work primarily onsite will be able to do so."