Is working from home morally wrong?

Recent rumblings point to a continuing backlash against remote workers.

The most vocal critic has been billionaire Elon Musk, who told CNBC last year that working from home is morally wrong.

Elon Musk: I'm a big believer that people need to be more productive when they're in person.

There are some exceptions, but I kind of think that the whole notion of work from home is a bit like the fake Marie Antoinette quote, let them eat cake.

It's like, really, you're going to work from home and you're going to make everyone else who made your car come work in the factory?

You're going to make the people who make your food that gets delivered, they can't work from home?

The people that come fix your house, they can't work from home, but you can?

Does that seem morally right?

That's messed up.

CNBC’s David Faber: You see it as a moral issue?

Elon Musk: Yes.

CNBC’s David Faber: I mean, I see it more as...

Elon Musk: It's a productivity issue, but it's also a moral issue.

People should get off the goddamn moral high horse with the work from home bullshit.

Because they're asking everyone else to not work from home while they do.

The laptop class is living in la-la land.

Employers are on Elon's side on this one.

According to Indeed.com, remote jobs are getting harder to find, dipping sharply in recent months, back to pre-pandemic levels.

And a resume builder survey claims that employers are less likely to give raises to remote workers as well.

But the same survey shows something that everyone should note.

92% of remote workers say they like their jobs in their arrangements.

At the same time, only one in three traditional office workers like their jobs in their setups.

These in office workers are increasingly over it.

They are stressed out, unhappy.

Half of them are planning to look for work in 2024.

This survey also points to something self-evident.

Being connected to your boss and company has little to do with where your desk is.

Those rates are about the same, no matter where or how you work.

Now that we've made it to the other side of the pandemic, most office workers know our jobs can be done without us in cubes.

And there's no way that we'll forget that, ever.

If these companies want to retain their best and brightest, they had better adapt or we'll find someone who will.

What do you think?

And are you planning on looking for new work next year?

Tell me in the comments at jamesbrowntv.substack.com or email me at jamesbrowntv@gmail.com.

You can also leave me a message at 585-484-0339.

On that note, I'm James Brown, and as always, be well.