WaPo opinion piece from a CEO who wants people back in the office

[Anonymous]

Gross. What a horrible CEO. And this is what she says in public. I can’t even imagine how she treats her employees when no one is looking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is pathetic. The pandemic has lifted the veil on the fact that people DONT need to be in an office all the time, but CEOs like a little power trip of seeing all kinds of people there.

Its like that scene from Austin Powers, Dr Evil says "you, carry stuff back and forth across the room" basically "look busy".

What good is a corner office if there is no-one around to see you in there?

muh corner office!

[Anonymous]

Take off Washingtonian Media as potential employers.

[Anonymous]

CEO should teach Control Freak 101/Type A for A$$hole

[Anonymous]

What a horrible leader!

So many companies have the opportunity to make progressive change. Her line of thinking is completely regressive.

[Anonymous]

Another example of why health care should not be tied to employment. So your employer can't threaten you with taking it away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take off Washingtonian Media as potential employers.

Washingtonian is one of those publications whose continued existence is always a surprise

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The whole thing read as tone deaf. Perhaps the work culture could adapt as well? That seems outside her limited bandwidth.

100%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another example of why health care should not be tied to employment. So your employer can't threaten you with taking it away.

Agree. We’d have so much more innovation and small businesses if people weren’t afraid of losing healthcare when they leave their corporate jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The best response I saw to this was that if your employees are spending 20 percent of their time on activities that "promote office culture," you should just institute a four-day workweek and you'd have the highest employee retention and satisfaction levels.

Amazing comment, standing ovation.

My thought when I read that 20% state was "Those extras are mostly done by the women in my office and that's exactly why so many women like telework. We can just do our jobs and not have to be the office mom, also."

[Anonymous]

She sounds about 100 years old.

And I'm not even a rah-rah 100% telework fan. I think there are benefit to in-person inclg onboarding new employees, networking & certain larger group brainstorming/in-depth debates. But the least of the problems of telework is the absence of 3 minute meetings. People text, slack, email, call ... and yes, I've had dozens of 10 minute Zooms! Does she have any idea how a modern office works?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best response I saw to this was that if your employees are spending 20 percent of their time on activities that "promote office culture," you should just institute a four-day workweek and you'd have the highest employee retention and satisfaction levels.

Amazing comment, standing ovation.

My thought when I read that 20% state was "Those extras are mostly done by the women in my office and that's exactly why so many women like telework. We can just do our jobs and not have to be the office mom, also."

Yes! I’ve somehow sidestepped organizing the parties / happy hours/ lunches and they’ve consistently fallen to 2 other women. I refuse to play in that role.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another example of why health care should not be tied to employment. So your employer can't threaten you with taking it away.

+ A FREAKING MILLION

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Take off Washingtonian Media as potential employers.

Washingtonian is one of those publications whose continued existence is always a surprise

+1

Though as I give it some thought, I must admit that's almost entirely propped up by ads (best doctors, best realtors, best restaurants, etc) -- they all pay to be featured. That's the magazine's bread and butter, not a $9, 2 year digital subscription.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The best response I saw to this was that if your employees are spending 20 percent of their time on activities that "promote office culture," you should just institute a four-day workweek and you'd have the highest employee retention and satisfaction levels.

Ha! That's fantastic.

It's amazing how few employers are taking the overwhelming clamor for more WFH has pretty alarming feedback on that "office culture" this person is touting. If many of your employees are desperate to get away from the office, then maybe you've done a terrible job of creating a positive workplace culture.

I've always been more productive and happier working from home because there is less time wasted on dumb office BS. Who likes office birthday parties? Other than the cake, which honestly has been ruined anyway because everyone has so many dietary restrictions this days that you are as likely to be offered sugar-free, gluten-free cupcakes and OMG, I would much rather be at my desk working so that I can leave on time.