In a recent opinion piece for the Washington Post, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg expressed his concerns about federal government employees working from home. He argued that remote work has negatively affected customer service at some federal agencies and highlighted the financial burden placed on taxpayers for maintaining empty office spaces. Bloomberg emphasized the importance of in-person work in the private sector, where poor performance can result in customers taking their business elsewhere. He cited a report from the Government Accountability Office, which revealed that the average occupancy rate across 24 federal agencies was just over 20%, suggesting significant underutilization.
Bloomberg stated that the pandemic is over and called for an end to the excuses for keeping offices empty. At his company, Bloomberg LP, more than 80% of employees work in the office at least three days a week, and the firm plans to increase in-office presence to four days a week starting in the fall. According to Bloomberg, returning to in-person work is beneficial for professional development, mentorship, and the overall growth of the organization, particularly for young employees.
The debate about the future of remote work continues as the world emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic. Bloomberg is not the only billionaire business magnate expressing concerns about post-pandemic work-from-home arrangements. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon and billionaire investor Marc Andreessen have also voiced their support for returning to the office. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has gone as far as calling remote work "morally wrong." These opinions highlight the varying perspectives on the benefits and drawbacks of remote work in a post-pandemic world.