Speaking with the little-seen publication Footwear News, Martha Stewart announced her campaign to get people away from remote work. The star of magazines, TV, and countless decorating books despises the idea of working remotely or even in a hybrid setting.
Going after the idea of mixed work, she claimed there is no way for people to “possibly get everything done working three days a week in the office and two days remotely.” She and many other managers agree, despite many refusing to look at productivity reports before making the call for people to return to work.
For the queen of New England inspired décor and living, she is afraid the US is trying to become like our French counterparts. “Look at the success of France with their stupid … you know, off for August, blah blah blah. That’s not a very thriving country. Should America go down the drain because people don’t want to go back to work?”
The CEOs of Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase also agree, with both companies asking many to return to in-office work five days a week. Even Tesla’s Elon Musk has reportedly called it “morally wrong.”
The idea of this not being a “good thing” for workers is absurd. While there is something to be said about the positive impacts of socialization within the work culture, there is also something to say about the time being wasted driving in and back home. Thanks to COVID making remote work a realistic idea for many corporations, many have adapted and flourished with it.
By allowing those who do well with it to continue doing it, they are ensuring their continued success. These remote workers often produce 1.5-2x the results of in-office workers. There are no random chats when someone drops by the desk or at the water cooler. This means, in Stewart’s scenario, they do more in those two days at home than they do in three days of in-office work. That’s a great thing for the office to get, and it costs them nothing.
