Here's the catch:
Remember, Amazon is a highly sought-after employer, perhaps able to afford the luxury of implementing disruptive policies. However, what's often left unsaid is that many employees are waiting for their bonuses before jumping ship.
A crucial factor to consider: by imposing such a drastic change in organizational policies, companies are likely to lose their best talent immediately. When the ship starts rocking, the first to jump off are precisely the ones you don't want to lose, and this is something to ponder. These shake-ups can cost you your top performers, those in "mission-critical" roles.
Since Amazon's big announcement about its policy change, I've spoken to private business owners, trying to dissuade them from copying the giant's initiatives. Few companies can compare to Amazon, and therefore, they can't replicate its disruptive moves without paying a hefty price.
Lately, I've been hearing phrases like:
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"Enough with the 'woke' stuff, see? It doesn't work!"
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"If I let them work from home, they'll never leave the company."
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"I'm tired of the work-life balance talk. Starting tomorrow, hybrid work, 'woke' culture, diversity—it's all over. I'm fed up. We need to go back to how things were."
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"I come to the office on Fridays, and nobody's there. Seems like everyone's taking a long weekend."
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"I know if they're at home, they're not working, they're all lazy."
On the other hand, I love the statement by Katarina Berg, Spotify's Chief Human Resources Officer: "You can't spend so much time hiring adults, then treat them like children."
By saying this, she emphasized the company's trust in the maturity and responsibility of its employees, supporting the remote work policy that Spotify implemented in February 2021.
Unlike other companies that have reverted to in-office work, Spotify has decided to maintain work flexibility, allowing its staff to choose where they want to work.
Just as you wouldn't barge into your company with a Louisville Slugger to smash monitors and desks, why would we make decisions that could destroy our work structures?
Why are business owners making drastic decisions today? Could it be that the economic results weren't as desired, and it's easier to blame remote work instead of evaluating the business's sustainability?
Let's consider circumstances where in-person presence is crucial:
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Strengthening organizational culture - in-person presence builds trust and bonds between people and facilitates teamwork.
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Younger generations, who graduated from online universities and work online, lack experience navigating the corporate world. In-person presence is the only way for them to immerse themselves in this new way of working.
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In-person meetings are more spontaneous, and communication between people is more effective.
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Getting out of the house improves mental health. It's not healthy to be isolated.
Therefore, my advice is to seek a balance that allows the business to thrive and be profitable while also being an organization that provides well-being and work-life balance to its teams. This is the only way to attract and retain top talent. Ultimately, the challenge is not whether to return to the office, but to design a sustainable work model that balances productivity and well-being.
Organizations that can adapt with intelligence and flexibility will be the ones that attract the best talent and build committed teams, driving their long-term growth.
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Many workers argue that working from home has negatively impacted them due to extended hours and increased workload, often without support.
They also cite the use of their own tools and resources, which aren't recognized by companies as part of the home office dynamic.
Others say there's nothing like working from home.
But...
Beyond preferences and opinions, while it's true that most feedback is negative towards remote work compared to in-office work, there's a significant portion of companies, ventures, and cases where, without home office or remote work, growing and developing the business would be impossible.
So? Does it depend? On what? Is it a mix?
We're listening.
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