Lyft Employees Told to Return to Office as New Chief Executive Lays Out Vision
Since the pandemic began, Lyft employees have been able to work remotely, logging into videoconferences from their homes and dispersing across the country like many other tech workers. Last year, the company made that policy official, telling staff that work would be “fully flexible” and subleasing floors of its offices in San Francisco and elsewhere.
No longer. On Friday, David Risher, the company’s new chief executive, told employees in an all-hands meeting that they would be required to come back into the office at least three days a week, starting this fall. It was one of the first major changes he’s made at the struggling ride-hailing company since starting earlier this month, and it came just a day after he laid off 26 percent of Lyft’s work force.
“Things just move faster when you’re face-to-face,” Mr. Risher said in an interview. Remote work in the tech industry, he said, had come at a cost, leading to isolation and eroding culture. “There’s a real feeling of satisfaction that comes from working together at a white board on a problem.”
The decision, combined with the layoffs and other changes, signals the beginning of a new chapter at Lyft. It could also be an indication that some tech companies — particularly firms that are struggling — may be changing their minds on flexibility about where employees work. Nudges toward working in the office could soon turn into demands.
Source: The New York Times
