Yesterday, March 14, it was two years since a state of alarm in Spain and a confinement both in our country and globally changed many of our habits. People who were not used to spending many hours at home we discover a new world of activities that can be done online: studying, chatting with friends, having leisure (podcasts and streaming content platforms grew like wildfire), playing sports and also working.
Two years later, telecommuting has been implemented more than ever before in our lives. And a very curious case that shows us that office work is no longer convincing as before it comes to us from one of the largest investment banks in the world, Goldman Sachs. The company asked its staff a few weeks ago to return to the offices. While in Spain, many companies have decided to return to the classics, at Goldman Sachs there has been a general rebellion and only half of the workforce has been present at the offices.
In other words, of the 10,000 people who are hired in this company, around 5,000 opted to stay at home without being forced to take transport every day, as published by Fortune.
As the days go by, more people return
Of course, the rebellion has not been maintained over time. Although the so-called “Great Renunciation” that began in the United States and also has its Spanish version has shown us that workers are no longer willing to put up with jobs they don’t like, at Goldman Sachs little by little the workforce is accepting the conditions imposed by the company.
It must be said that the fact that half of the people did not show up at the office was not due to a communication error. Goldman Sachs spokespersons have explained that with the passing of days there is already between 70 and 80% of the occupation. There is still a redoubt of rebels, according to the figures.
The company’s CEO, David Michael Solomon, He has been speaking publicly for some time about the need to return to the offices. Despite the fact that the company had record profits in 2021, the manager is determined that working from home is eroding work teams. According to him, an important part of the company’s success is bring together highly qualified workers in the same space and that collaborating benefits the results they achieve.
Teleworking is an aberration, says the CEO
Last year, in the spring, Goldman Sachs also urged the workforce to return to the offices. But a couple of months later the plan was canceled and the company said that everyone should wear a mask and be vaccinated when another lap was about to take place. There wasn’t much information about it. but it could be due to a rebound in Covid-19 cases due to this decision.
David Michael Solomon said that what has been dubbed new normality of work is something “aberrant”.