Leaked Zoom all-hands: CEO says employees must return to offices because they can’t be as innovative or get to know each other on Zoom::Zoom CEO Eric Yuan discussed the benefits of in-person work in a leaked meeting.

  • Clbull@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    46
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    It’s not about improving productivity, increasing innovation or ‘sharing best practice’, as a former workplace put it. Corporations are forcing a return to office work in an attempt to curb a post-COVID real estate crash - which we honestly need since we have far too many luxury offices being built and not enough homes.

    For one place where I used to work, RTO drove down staff morale to an all-time low (already low due to high workloads and bad wages) and pushed the staff turnover rate in my department to 95%. They ended up having to outsource the function to an overseas firm.

    • SCB@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      1 year ago

      Corporations are pushing RTO because their senior leadership doesn’t know how to lead in a modern system.

      I won’t argue some amount of “responding to waste” isn’t there, but this “problem” only exists when the culture isn’t healthy enough to be properly managed remotely, which frankly is not that hard.

    • 5BC2E7@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Why would companies that generally avoid owning real estate act against its own self interest for the profits of real estate companies?? I don’t see the connection.

      • DarthNinja@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        Lots of companies and executives invest in real estate. They see their holdings dwindling and decide its time for the unwashed masses to get their asses back in the office

        • 5BC2E7@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          1 year ago

          there might be exceptions. but as a rule tech companies AVOID investing in real estate.

    • piskertariot@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      1 year ago

      This has always been the method. I’ve worked in startups for years, and there’s always a game-changing pivot that causes a staff exodus. They replace the with contractors until the company succeeds in the pivot or crashes and burns.

      Return to office is just a pivot. If the talent leaves and gets replaced, hopefully their leadership can right the ship. Otherwise it’s those who departed who made the right call.

    • tool@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      and pushed the staff turnover rate in my department to 95%. They ended up having to outsource the function to an overseas firm.

      Sounds like their reason behind implementing the RTO plan was successful then.