Executives at several companies are facing a morale challenge, workers ordered back into the office who wonder why their leaders aren’t back in the office too.
“Most people will jump to the wrong conclusion,” said author, businessman and business guru Paul Peters. “It just communicates a bad feeling to the employees because they feel like they’re being cheated.”
Years after the end of the covid pandemic during which many workers operated from home, and discovered they liked it, friction continues over those who’ve had to return to the office.
Now, some of those workers are raising issues with the fact that their bosses may not be in the office along with them. News reports tell of executives working from one office of their company, and workers being irked not to see them in another.
Peters says it has become more important for employees to understand that their supervisors or CEO might be working just as hard as they are, but somewhere else.
“I think it’s a perception issue,” Peters said. “People don’t see you around and they’re just assuming that you’re not doing what you’re asking them to do. So you have to have open communication with your staff about when you’re coming, and you have to be present when you’re there.”