Microsoft CEO Shares Disadvantages of WFH; Points Out Drawbacks of Online Meetings - Report

As companies are extending work from home amid pandemic, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella shares drawbacks of being away from the office for so long.

Amid the global crisis, Microsoft has been one of the biggest gainers of the remote work model that has been implemented by various organisations. 

As the new normal is taking over working employees health, Microsoft CEO is now realising the drawbacks of being away from the office and the pitfalls attached to it.

As per CNBC report, at the Wall Street Journal CEO Council, the Indian-origin top executive said, "Online meetings can make employees tired and make it difficult to transition from a work mindset to private life. When you are working from home, it sometimes feels like you are sleeping at work."

"Thirty minutes into your first video meeting in the morning, because of the concentration one needs to have in video, you are fatigued," he said. Nadella stated that studies suggest a video meeting can be quite draining.

Further pointing out how work from home cannot fully leverage the benefits of the office, Microsoft CEO said that "they have a new product that attempts to address this. Together Mode places participants on video calls in a virtual space, such as an auditorium, meeting room or coffee bar to try to recreate an office atmosphere."

Since March, Microsoft came up with innovative ideas to manage a large workforce. Earlier, the transition from offices to work from home was difficult but the company was quick to plan a "hybrid new normal of work".

As the new hybrid model has come into use, Microsoft's team timely addresses relevant areas of concern including a high risk of burnout.

"Beyond enabling video conferencing, organisations need to find ways to encourage innovation, creative flow of ideas and camaraderie that makes an employee feel that they are a valued part of an organization", Microsoft stated on its website.

As new employees are joining offices amid the pandemic, Nadella sympathised with them saying; "You need to on-board them, on-board them successfully. Learning, re-skilling, upskilling is going to become a huge issue," he added.