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Disney boss urges staff to return to office four days a week

By Nagasunder in US Employment News, posted January 10, 2023

Disney staff still working at home have been asked to go back to the office four days a week, starting in March.

Chief executive Bob Iger said "hybrid" workers will now be asked to consider "Monday through Thursday as in-person workdays".

He also stated in "a creative business like ours," face-to-face collaboration is essential.

The news comes two months after Mr. Iger's surprise return to Disney.

In a memo to staff seen by the BBC, Mr. Iger said: "Nothing can replace the ability to connect, observe, and create with peers that come from being physically together, nor the opportunity to grow professionally by learning from leaders and mentors."

He added: "It is my belief that working together more in person will benefit the company's creativity, culture, and our employees' careers.

To help slow the spread of Covid-19, Disney, like many other large corporations, allowed employees to work from home during the pandemic.

Disney, like other major corporations, is now relocating its employees.

Companies such as Snap, Tesla, and Uber have announced similar changes to their working policies in recent months.

Apple employees have been required to work three days a week in the company's offices since September.

Elon Musk, the multibillionaire, ordered Twitter employees to return to the office for 40 hours per week in November, effectively ending the company's fixed "work from anywhere" policy.

Mr. Musk's decision to buy the social media platform for $44 billion (£38.7 billion) reportedly caused a large number of employees to quit after he did call on them to sign up for "long hours at high intensity" or leave.

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Mr. Iger was re-hired by Disney's board to guide it through a difficult period in which its stock price dropped sharply and the Disney+ streaming platform continued to lose money.

His reappearance came less than one year after he had left the company.

He was previously the president of Disney for 15 years.

Mr. Iger took over as CEO in February 2020, succeeding Bob Chapek.

Mr. Chapek's tenure as Disney CEO included the closure of its amusement parks due to Covid constraints.

Source: BBC News

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