Elon Musk’s objection to remote work has opened up discussion among CEOs about the proper way to address the return to the office.
While Musk is certainly not alone in his desire to bring workers back to the workplace, other executives have gained a different perspective.
“Instead of chasing their own celebrity or brand, company executives should focus on accessibility,” said Craig Corn, CEO of Reverse Mortgage Funding, a fully remote team. “Most employees don’t need—or want—their executives working beside them.”
Reverse Mortgage Funding prioritizes flexibility above face-time, but is still able to nurture an engaging work environment.
Not only is this beneficial to business itself, but employees have made it abundantly clear that a full return-to-the-office is no longer feasible. This attempt of Musk and others to regain power in the workplace could set them right on track to the Great Resignation.
For Paul McKinlay, head of remote for Cimpress and Vista, the company has seen a 300% increase in job applicants since embracing hybrid and remote policies two years ago.
“What Musk fails to see or acknowledge is that working remotely has been proven to improve people’s quality of life—and teams’ productivity,” said McKinlay.