I totally agree with you,
@Brianne Haxton. Losing the flexibility to work from home can be frustrating, especially for those of us who have grown accustomed to it. I mean, who wouldn't want to keep the pajama pants and slippers lifestyle going, right? But I think I understand where Disney's CEO Bob Iger is coming from - the idea of connecting and creating with peers in person is definitely important in a creative business like Disney (I'm trying to convenience myself here).
At the same time, I think the ability to work remotely has its own set of benefits too. It's like a double-edged sword, you know? And it looks like Disney might be a major company paving the way for others to follow suit and bring employees back to the office. Not bueno, in my opinion.
As for my situation, I've been working remotely since 2017, when I started my company. My business model since then has been hiring talent and working remotely, despite doing much creative work (thank God for video calls). But if I had an employer who wanted me to make a change and ask me to come back to the office most of the week, I'd have to weigh the pros and cons and see what works best for me.
Ciao!
------------------------------
Mauricio Gonzales
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 01-16-2023 16:47
From: Brianne Haxton
Subject: My team doesn't want to return to the office. What do I do?
Disney has been in the news recently because its new CEO Bob Iger (who, incidentally, is also the company's former CEO who is back to replace another Bob that the first Bob hand-picked as his successor-but I digress) announced to employees they'll be required to return to the office four days a week. Judging from the comments on social media and from the stories told by an old friend who works at the company, people are frustrated and unhappy with the mandate.
Bob Iger cited the need for employees to be physically together to "connect, observe, and create."
"As you've heard me say many times, creativity is the heart and soul of who we are and what we do at Disney. And in a creative business like ours, nothing can replace the ability to connect, observe, and create with peers that comes from being physically together, nor the opportunity to grow professionally by learning from leaders and mentors," he said.
I've been thinking for a while about how many companies are now asking employees to return to the office at least a few days a week. Disney is probably one of the largest and most well-known companies making the shift from flexible work from home/ hybrid schedules to working in-office. Is this the bellwether of change? Will more companies draw back on the flexibility that they extended during the onset of the pandemic and beyond?
What's your situation? Are you moving from WFH/hybrid to working in the office? What would you do if your employer changed things up an asked you to come back to the office most of the week?
------------------------------
-Brianne
------------------------------