Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has recently said he doesn’t expect all the employees to return to the office until the majority of them are vaccinated until then they all the staff will be working from home. Netflix is one of many companies who are trying to keep its employees safe while maintaining the sort of in-person interactions.
In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Hastings said that he thought working from home was detrimental to the business, and that he’d be pushing for a return to the office as soon as possible. Here’s what he said:
WSJ: Have you seen benefits from people working at home?
Mr. Hastings: No. I don’t see any positives. Not being able to get together in person, particularly internationally, is a pure negative. I’ve been super impressed at people’s sacrifices.
WSJ: It’s been anticipated that many companies will shift to a work-from-home approach for many employees even after the Covid-19 crisis. What do you think?
Mr. Hastings: If I had to guess, the five-day workweek will become four days in the office while one day is virtual from home. I’d bet that’s where a lot of companies end up.
WSJ: Do you have a date in mind for when your workforce returns to the office?
Mr. Hastings: Twelve hours after a vaccine is approved.
WSJ: I like that.
Mr. Hastings: It’s probably six months after a vaccine. Once we can get a majority of people vaccinated, then it’s probably back in the office.
Now it looks like that Hastings is keen to end remote work as soon as possible. That’s no surprise considering his focus on corporate culture, which the Netflix CEO is currently promoting in his book on the subject, No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention.
