Goldman Sachs orders New York bankers to cancel parties

Goldman Sachs orders New York bankers to cancel parties

Goldman Sachs top brass want bankers together in the office again, but they are now taking a different view of festive parties.

With Covid-19 cases resurgent, the Wall Street bank has ordered teams in New York that have not already held dinners and other internal events to cancel any remaining plans, according to people familiar with the matter.

Goldman has held holiday parties over the last several weeks and a few remaining ones have been postponed, a bank spokeswoman said.

Goldman’s new, stricter policy reveals a divide on Wall Street over group gatherings for the festive season after a gruelling, albeit lucrative, year for the finance industry.

High rates of vaccination against coronavirus in New York and loosening social restrictions gave many bankers hope that they would be able to resume boozy celebrations this year. However, new concerns over the Omicron virus varianthave complicated plans for a second December in a row.

A new indoor mask mandate went into effect across New York state earlier this week in the midst of rising breakthrough cases, which have prompted some banks to revisit their party policies.

Earlier this year, Goldman was among the Wall Street groups that drew a hard line in urging staff to return to the office.

While