Work is changing everywhere, and it’s messing with our lives
Companies are splitting into two groups:
Companies that prefer you to be in the office daily, and work long hours, all about speed and hustle. They believe faster and better when they are together in person. However, a lot of employees become stressed, exhausted, and even sick. We saw OpenAI (the big AI company) close for a week because their people were exhausted. Many good people leave these companies, and it is getting harder to find new workers
Others that provide greater flexibility: work at home, flexible hours, focus on results, not time in the chair. Workers here are more likely to stay, are happier (57% more satisfied), and companies lose fewer people (25% less turnover). However, remote work is not ideal as well. Some feel lonely and at times you may be left out of promotions or salary increment, especially when you are a woman or have a family to care for
Are we creating a healthy future of work or new methods of burnout? Are these so-called flexible jobs fair to all or are we creating a new form of workplace inequality? How can we make work better not just to the company but to real people?
I read the article about OpenAI employees working 80 hours a week and for that reason, OpenAI decided to give them a one-week rest. To be fair, I can't believe someone working 80 hours a week, that looks almost impossible to me. Working almost 12 hours a day + 1-2 hours of transportation, 30 minute break when you wake up and another 30 minute when you come at home, it feels like they are only living to work, I can't imagine living such a lifestyle, what's the point of life if you spend your whole life working under constant stress and anxiety?
A healthy culture of work is when you work up to 8 hours a day and have no homework when you leave work. This burnout culture, that's becoming popular, will negatively affect every 12 hours worker. This will increase their heart problems, risk of stroke and other health issues.