CORP/BIZ Corporate Execs Call Workers "Lazy," Wish 'Economic Misery' To Remind Them Who's Boss

[Blacknarwhal]

...and they wonder why people hate them.

Fair use cited so on and so forth.

Corporate Execs Call Workers "Lazy," Wish 'Economic Misery' To Remind Them Who's Boss | ZeroHedge

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Corporate Execs Call Workers "Lazy," Wish 'Economic Misery' To Remind Them Who's Boss​

by Tyler Durden
Friday, Sep 15, 2023 - 09:45 AM

Since the beginning of Covid, employees have gained a lot of leverage, benefiting from remote work options and higher wage demands.

However, this favorable period may be coming to an end. Some corporate executives now call workers "lazy," with one exec suggesting that economic pain will be needed to "remind people that they work for the employer, not the other way around."

At an investor conference hosted by Morgan Stanley on Wednesday, Barry Biffle, CEO of budget airlines Frontier Group Holdings Inc., said, "We got lazy in Covid. I mean, seriously, people are still allowing people to work from home. All this silliness, right?"

Biffle's comments highlight the push by corporate America to impose more strict in-office mandates after productivity declines materialized shortly after the proliferation of remote work.

"When we look at overhead versus 2019 adjusted for capacity, it's up dramatically," he said, adding, "Why do I have more people per plane in overhead than I had in 2019? It's because they're not as productive."


"Look, we're not alone in this. You hear every company out there talking about productivity challenges," Biffle said.

Just before billionaire businessman Sam Zell passed away in late May, he called remote work "One of the biggest lies in the world is that people working from home are more productive than people working in the office." He noted, "You have much less productivity if you're working from home in your pajamas with three little kids running around than if you're in an office."

Others have voiced their concerns about lazy workers and a slide in productivity, and the next executive isn't from the US but Australia.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, property developer Tim Gurner called employees arrogant and warned unemployment must surge to revive productivity.

At a business event earlier this week, Gurner said Covid had a "massive effect" on productivity. He said, "The problem that we've had is that people decided they didn't really want to work so much any more through COVID."

Gurner offers a solution that no worker wants to hear:

"We need to see pain in the economy. We need to remind people that they work for the employer, not the other way around. There's been a systematic change where employees feel the employer is extremely lucky to have them, as opposed to the other way around. It's a dynamic that has to change."

These are very harsh comments from corporate elites who are angered by the shift in leverage workers have received. They now want revenge, which might be in the form of a downturn -- where they can reduce wages and cut workers. Recall Walmart already kicked off the reduction in wages for new employees.

 

[Dennis Olson]

Some corporate executives now call workers "lazy," with one exec suggesting that economic pain will be needed to "remind people that they work for the employer, not the other way around."

Just like those execs need economic pain to remind them that they work for consumers rather than ESG scores.

 

[packyderms_wife]

Just like those execs need economic pain to remind them that they work for consumers rather than ESG scores.

it is amazing how they fail to realize which side of their bread is buttered on!

 

[Mongo]

I agree with the execs and Dennis

 

[Hognutz]

Just like those execs need economic pain to remind them that they work for consumers rather than ESG scores.

Remind them of Bud light

 

[WalknTrot]

Haha. Saw this story this morning. The balance of power always swings, (usually with economic stressors) but rarely is it in favor of the workers as it was in the Covid years and the following, more recent worker shortages. Now inflation hit's hard, the economy screeches to s-l-o-w and layoffs are the axe hanging over people's heads. Just a fact of life. Those who are proven assets keep their jobs, those who aren't hit the unemployment line.

When I retired, I knew that the disengaged, entitlement 'tuded newbs were going to get a jolt of reality somewhere down the line. Looks like it arrived.

 

[Red Baron]

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, property developer Tim Gurner called employees arrogant and warned unemployment must surge to revive productivity.

Wow!

He said the quiet part out loud.

 

[Blacknarwhal]

Wow!

He said the quiet part out loud.

The amazing part is that productivity is actually UP since remote work got going. So he's a sociopath AND a filthy liar.

The shift to working from home: how has it affected productivity? - Economics Observatory

The Covid-19 outbreak led to a rapid shift to working from home in many occupations. The change may have a negative impact on productivity, but this ignores workers’ perceptions and effects on their wellbeing.

www.economicsobservatory.com

 

[FireDance]

Well you know they say pride goes before a fall. He’d best keep his mouth shut because apparently he’s not aware that we are going into a new pandemic that may limit worker availability.

And of course, there’s always the F you option.

Keep opening wide big boy.

 

[Hammer]

While I do agree somewhat that employees have gotten lazy, part of the problem with increased overhead per seat is that now they have an ESG czar, a diversity czar, a lot of affirmative action hires, a bunch pf people to track and report their energy and GHG intensity, more lawyers to protect them and to make sure they don't run afoul of numerous regulations, etc.

 

[Kathy in FL]

The amazing part is that productivity is actually UP since remote work got going. So he's a sociopath AND a filthy liar.

The shift to working from home: how has it affected productivity? - Economics Observatory

The Covid-19 outbreak led to a rapid shift to working from home in many occupations. The change may have a negative impact on productivity, but this ignores workers’ perceptions and effects on their wellbeing.

www.economicsobservatory.com

Not in all industries or sectors. We have found that productivity is down in restaurant and food, mechanical service industries, in maintenance service industries, etc.

IF you can sit around and do a job, then perhaps, as long as you have self-motivated and self-disciplined individuals, it is working out. However, in jobs where you have to be on-site and front and center with consumers and clients, there is a shortage because a lot of people just don't want to work except in a chair in front of a computer.

I am not being cruel, arrogant, or anything else. I am speaking real-world here. We have a lot of tenants that complain that it takes longer to get things repaired and really bitch at us when there is nothing we can do to change the new normal. It is more difficult to find repair techs regardless of what you are willing to pay, more difficult to find replacement and/or warranty parts. More difficult to get said parts actually from one facility to the mail and from the mail to the repair tech. Etc. Ad nauseum.

These stories are often one-sided in the extreme, depending on the author's agenda and on their own opinions.

Personally I get tired of the socialist and communist undertones of so many of these MSM pieces.

 

[mikeabn]

Car mechanics in short supply here, repairs take a couple of weeks. As for arrogant, that's been going on a while and has become more open and aggressive. Lazy, well, that should not be a surprise. And I do not believe that any amount of pay or benefit increase will change that. With all that in mind a QUALITY employee-on time, works well, polite, drug-free, honest-should be treated like the valuable resource they are and indeed, more than that, should be courted so that they stay.

 

[pauldingbabe]

I know that most restaurants in Orlando has their stores clamping down hard. So hard that their workers are lucky to have 10 hours. They have the minimum employees to run service, but close down the dining room in big sections part or most of the day.

 

[Murt]

unemployed people probably aren't going to buy what you are selling

 

[Raggedyman]

I know that most restaurants in Orlando has their stores clamping down hard. So hard that their workers are lucky to have 10 hours. They have the minimum employees to run service, but close down the dining room in big sections part or most of the day.

Bingo! who else knows of restaurants elsewhere that are no longer open what were once their “normal business hours”? Small hometown eatery in WNC - 60 years plus in business at the same location - breakfast till 3P 6 days from a once upon a time 5A- 9P 7days .

that ISN’T because there aren’t any customers . . . It’s because the current owners - family of the originators, learned - DURING COVID - they could make enough $$$ to get by and pay bills. thats all they want to do now.

FRNDAMENTAL TRUTHS:
MOST people are LAZY
they will do JUST ENOUGH to get by
NOT ALL OF THEM are UNION WORKERS
COVID made it worse - and
GOVERNMENT helped them to REMAIN that way


​

 

[WildDaisy]

I got WAY more work done when I was working from home. I was online earlier because I had no commute, and on way later into the evening. I didnt have to worry about snow days or sick kids and taking time off. I could be up at 5 AM for a conference call on the other side of the world time without having to drive into work for it.

Not all jobs are conducive to work from home, but a lot of desk jobs are. You have no overhead for buildings or utilities.

 

[Blacknarwhal]

Bingo! who else knows of restaurants elsewhere that are no longer open what were once their “normal business hours”? Small hometown eatery in WNC - 60 years plus in business at the same location - breakfast till 3P 6 days from a once upon a time 5A- 9P 7days .

that ISN’T because there aren’t any customers . . . It’s because the current owners - family of the originators, learned - DURING COVID - they could make enough $$$ to get by and pay bills. thats all they want to do now.

FRNDAMENTAL TRUTHS:
MOST people are LAZY
they will do JUST ENOUGH to get by
NOT ALL OF THEM are UNION WORKERS
COVID made it worse - and
GOVERNMENT helped them to REMAIN that way


​

Is it truly lazy, though, to want more out of life than just work / sleep / work?

 

[Blacknarwhal]

I got WAY more work done when I was working from home. I was online earlier because I had no commute, and on way later into the evening. I didnt have to worry about snow days or sick kids and taking time off. I could be up at 5 AM for a conference call on the other side of the world time without having to drive into work for it.

Not all jobs are conducive to work from home, but a lot of desk jobs are. You have no overhead for buildings or utilities.

Been working from home for the last 17 years. The government taxes me at twice the normal rate, but what I save on a commute is a pretty good reason. Plus no risk of being called "creepy" or accused of sexual harassment because I smiled at the wrong person one day. I can't imagine working any other way.

 

[Blacknarwhal]

Not in all industries or sectors. We have found that productivity is down in restaurant and food, mechanical service industries, in maintenance service industries, etc.

Of course not. Who would think that? But if you can work from home, it's working out well for everybody, pretty much. The only reason it's not working so well for the "elites" is because they can't PLAY Boss any more. Jump-when-I-tell-you-that, laugh-at-my-stupid-jokes-or-else, better-not-yell-sexual-harassment-or-it's-your-job-and-I-got-more-lawyers-plus-you-can't-prove-jack Boss.

I am not being cruel, arrogant, or anything else. I am speaking real-world here. .

Who are you trying to convince?

Personally I get tired of the socialist and communist undertones of so many of these MSM pieces.

"Socialist and communist." Really. What in the world makes this "socialist and communist?" The fact that workers start wanting some time to themselves? Being able to actually USE those vacation days without fearing for their job by being branded "not a team player" because they took them at the wrong time or took them at all? You should read some more about how little vacation time Americans actually use. Or maybe that's too "socialist and communist" for you.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Of course not. Who would think that? But if you can work from home, it's working out well for everybody, pretty much. The only reason it's not working so well for the "elites" is because they can't PLAY Boss any more. Jump-when-I-tell-you-that, laugh-at-my-stupid-jokes-or-else, better-not-yell-sexual-harassment-or-it's-your-job-and-I-got-more-lawyers-plus-you-can't-prove-jack Boss.



Who are you trying to convince?



"Socialist and communist." Really. What in the world makes this "socialist and communist?" The fact that workers start wanting some time to themselves? Being able to actually USE those vacation days without fearing for their job by being branded "not a team player" because they took them at the wrong time or took them at all? You should read some more about how little vacation time Americans actually use. Or maybe that's too "socialist and communist" for you.

Got a grind against people who invest their own money and expect a return on it? LOL Most business owners aren't as you described. Some managers and some bossy butt employees, but rarely the business owner. Don't confuse rule by committee type entities with honest to God businesses.

I don't have to convince anyone and wasn't trying to. What you think of as arrogance is actual experience and hard work. In other words, real world and putting my money where my mouth is and expecting other people to do the same instead of taking the easy route and being entitled. And I don't care if that is the ditch digger and broom pusher or those that sit at the exec board room table.

Socialist and communist ... yes. Sorry, life is rarely if ever fair and it can't be made that way with unions and mandates. The only thing is to work. Even God says work is good. And I went years without a vacation as we grew our business ... or our vacations were educational opportunities for our kids or business expansion safaris. We didn't really "vacation" until most of the kids were adults and even then my husband would take the kids on a vacation for them for high school graduation or for high adventure scouting events ... like hiking 100 miles at Philmont Scout Reservation during a week while he humped a 60 pound pack, rode heard on a troop of teenage boys, etc.

A lot of people live paycheck to paycheck and/or live above the level it requires to sacrifice to save for a rainy day and then wind up digging holes they never really climb out of ... don't make good health choices, make piss poor financial choices, don't make smart choices with their educational opportunities before they even become adults and have to start behind the eight ball, etc. Life is full of choices.

Too many people bitching and whining don't want to do the hard work of having their own business, they want someone else to pay for their bennies in this life. So yeah, socialist and communist crock of crap. I'm not asking you to agree with me and could care less if you do. I know what I've put into this life for us to get where we do. My husband grew up in a house that barely had a floor except for the ten layers of linoleum on the floor joists. His father bought the house years before he was born and that's where they stayed until his father retired after 44+ years moving beer barrels around ... and who was physical disabled with one leg 8" shorter than the other and a 20 pound boot that made up the difference in length. And he never took disability. Both of his parents were Depression Era kids that came close to starving on more than one occasion. My parents are my husband's sister's age. Mom didn't have indoor plumbing until she was 16 when she and Dad eloped. My dad spent a few years being raised by his grandparents in a house that never had running water or indoor plumbing and his grandfather had to drive the wagon down the hill with barrels to bring water back to the house.

People don't know what poor is these days. They really don't. They bitch and whine while dealing with First World problems.

 

[Cyclonemom]

As a small business owner, they aren't wrong. Many workers ARE getting lazy and entitled. And heaven help them, a "can-do" attitude is as elusive as a needle in a haystack.

I had someone who said she was unable to come to work yesterday because she had a fight with her MOTHER. -- She's married and over 30 (no kids).

The thing is, it's not the business itself she hurt, it's the coworkers who have to pick up her duties.

I'd like to say it's just one or two people, but it's practically the whole lot of them. My most reliable employee is the 55yo going through cancer treatment who keeps a positive attitude and schedules treatments around her work schedule.

So I'm hoping employees grow up not for the sake of the business, but just to be there for each other, and be the best person THEY THEMSELVES can be.

Most people just do whatever is easiest. Not what's best.

 

[Raggedyman]

Is it truly lazy, though, to want more out of life than just work / sleep / work?

Amother most excellent post/thot process brother. . . I have no idea. We as a PEOPLE are in the process of rebelling against the shackles that have been used to throw us into bondage for an incredibly long time.among these are the addiction to STUFF and THINGS. As I look around I can see hat people re choosing simplicity over STUFF with increasing frequency. The cabal has long preached the former approach -its one of the MANY things in a bucket of addictions that keep J&J6pack under their control

thank you for helping me to see it more clearly

 

[WalknTrot]

Is it truly lazy, though, to want more out of life than just work / sleep / work?

Life's a bitch and then you die.

 

[Tripod]

I still have to ask about those people that worked before covid. Where are they now and what are they doing for money? Most of the free stuff and money ran out.
Mike

 

[Dozdoats]

They pretend to pay us, so we pretend to work.

 

[packyderms_wife]

Bingo! who else knows of restaurants elsewhere that are no longer open what were once their “normal business hours”? Small hometown eatery in WNC - 60 years plus in business at the same location - breakfast till 3P 6 days from a once upon a time 5A- 9P 7days .

that ISN’T because there aren’t any customers . . . It’s because the current owners - family of the originators, learned - DURING COVID - they could make enough $$$ to get by and pay bills. thats all they want to do now.

FRNDAMENTAL TRUTHS:
MOST people are LAZY
they will do JUST ENOUGH to get by
NOT ALL OF THEM are UNION WORKERS
COVID made it worse - and
GOVERNMENT helped them to REMAIN that way


​

A lot of places are doing that here, central Iowa, as well, including fast food places, which sucks if your traveling through the area.

 

[packyderms_wife]

Is it truly lazy, though, to want more out of life than just work / sleep / work?

Some people would tell you yes. The story about the american CEO talking to the mex fishing off of a dock in mexico comes to mind. Yeah, I'd rather spend my life fishing, spending time with family etc., than participating in a mindless rat race, for a job where I can be replaced within hours upon my demise.

 

[Blacknarwhal]

Life's a bitch and then you die.

Quite true. But it's certainly not lazy to want better and try to get it.

 

[Blacknarwhal]

Some people would tell you yes. The story about the american CEO talking to the mex fishing off of a dock in mexico comes to mind. Yeah, I'd rather spend my life fishing, spending time with family etc., than participating in a mindless rat race, for a job where I can be replaced within hours upon my demise.

Yep, the old story. "We're all family here," until you need something. Then you're the whiny expendable.

 

[packyderms_wife]

I still have to ask about those people that worked before covid. Where are they now and what are they doing for money? Most of the free stuff and money ran out.
Mike

A lot of the youngsters are living in vans/buses and are traveling the country, or even canada or mexico, and work when they need money and then move on to the next desitination.

 

[Blacknarwhal]

Amother most excellent post/thot process brother. . . I have no idea. We as a PEOPLE are in the process of rebelling against the shackles that have been used to throw us into bondage for an incredibly long time.among these are the addiction to STUFF and THINGS. As I look around I can see hat people re choosing simplicity over STUFF with increasing frequency. The cabal has long preached the former approach -its one of the MANY things in a bucket of addictions that keep J&J6pack under their control

thank you for helping me to see it more clearly

...likewise. The "addiction to stuff." That's a very good point. It's been mockingly put in the mouths of hippies for some time now, but are you working for your stuff, or is your stuff working for you?

Oh, sure, some stuff is downright needful. Food, shelter, so on. But we look at our entertainments and the like. Some hobbies are necessary. Some are just nice. Are we lazy for working just enough to support ourselves and our interests?

 

[Tripod]

A lot of the youngsters are living in vans/buses and are traveling the country, or even canada or mexico, and work when they need money and then move on to the next desitination.

Sounds like the old hippie movement.
Mike

 

[packyderms_wife]

Sounds like the old hippie movement.
Mike

it does, don't blame them one bit either.

 

[packyderms_wife]

Oh, sure, some stuff is downright needful. Food, shelter, so on. But we look at our entertainments and the like. Some hobbies are necessary. Some are just nice. Are we lazy for working just enough to support ourselves and our interests?

No, not at all, where will all of that stuff go once you're dead? The youngsters don't want it, I don't want it.

 

[Blacknarwhal]

No, not at all, where will all of that stuff go once you're dead? The youngsters don't want it, I don't want it.

I have no children myself. The folks and I have discussed this before; right now the current plan is to find a lawyer for after I die and perform a total liquidation. Then convert it all into a memorial scholarship fund. I wanted to make it a whites-only scholarship, because there are virtually none of those. And even I remember having a hard time finding scholarships in high school, and that was 25 years ago. It likely hasn't gotten better since! The folks found that distasteful. Biden voters still believing in racism, no doubt. But we all came to an equitable conclusion of just offering it to kids in the area. There aren't many minorities out here, so it would serve the same purpose but without the controversy. And if there's black kids enough with high achievements and lots of extracurriculars, well, they can get in on it too, I suppose.

 

[summerthyme]

Blacknarwhal, I do get where you are coming from. But I strongly suspect you have never been am employer, or even a supervisor/manager of people in any type of business setting. And certainly not within the last 10 years.

Our second son is an engineer, now working for a biomedical startup... small group of people, all handpicked (mostly by personal recommendations), and he loves it.

But before that, he worked in the automotive field, developing hydrogen engines, as well as a place working on hydrogen fuel cell technology. Every job quickly promoted him to management roles... and he HATED it. (He's management again at his current company, but loves it... it's not "managing people" he hates, but the current crop of under 30s coming out of college, including some of the premier engineering colleges in the world.

He has to have policies in place, specifically spelled out, that you can't play video games or solitaire on your work computer (during work hours!). Also, they've had to specifically block non work related websites, because new hires were spending hours a day on Zillow.com, and claiming it was "work related", because "finding a better place to live will improve my job performance"!!

He just can't wrap his head around people (we aren't talking minimum wage here!) who see nothing wrong with only doing job related activities for 4-5 hours out of an 8 hour day. Every single day! He said when he got his first engineering job out of college (having worked construction and operating heavy equipment before he got his degree), he was shocked to be told "don't surf the net at work"... because it never would have occurred to him.

Hubby saw the same issues working for the town highway department. The "old farts" worked rings around the newer hires, and the number of excuses given why they couldn't do a specific job was ridiculous.

I don't know what the REAL productivity figures were comparing the work from hone during COVID to the previous in-office standard, but I do know that true " self starters" are few and far between.

Summerthyme

 

[Blacknarwhal]

Blacknarwhal, I do get where you are coming from. But I strongly suspect you have never been am employer, or even a supervisor/manager of people in any type of business setting. And certainly not within the last 10 years.

Our second son is an engineer, now working for a biomedical startup... small group of people, all handpicked (mostly by personal recommendations), and he loves it.

But before that, he worked in the automotive field, developing hydrogen engines, as well as a place working on hydrogen fuel cell technology. Every job quickly promoted him to management roles... and he HATED it. (He's management again at his current company, but loves it... it's not "managing people" he hates, but the current crop of under 30s coming out of college, including some of the premier engineering colleges in the world.

He has to have policies in place, specifically spelled out, that you can't play video games or solitaire on your work computer (during work hours!). Also, they've had to specifically block non work related websites, because new hires were spending hours a day on Zillow.com, and claiming it was "work related", because "finding a better place to live will improve my job performance"!!

He just can't wrap his head around people (we aren't talking minimum wage here!) who see nothing wrong with only doing job related activities for 4-5 hours out of an 8 hour day. Every single day! He said when he got his first engineering job out of college (having worked construction and operating heavy equipment before he got his degree), he was shocked to be told "don't surf the net at work"... because it never would have occurred to him.

Hubby saw the same issues working for the town highway department. The "old farts" worked rings around the newer hires, and the number of excuses given why they couldn't do a specific job was ridiculous.

I don't know what the REAL productivity figures were comparing the work from hone during COVID to the previous in-office standard, but I do know that true " self starters" are few and far between.

Summerthyme

Been running my own small business for the last 17 years. It's been a shop of one for most of that, but I did have subcontractors for a while. In the early going, mostly. Didn't want to play bait-and-switch by going after work on my resume and farming it out. Seemed unethical.

So, I suppose you're right. I haven't been a manager or an employer in the last 10 years.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Quite true. But it's certainly not lazy to want better and try to get it.

Not so long as you aren't getting on the back of other people paying for it. That's every bit as wrong as what the original complaint apparently is ... that "The Man" runs things while the "Little People" pay all his bills for him with their work.

 

[summerthyme]

Been running my own small business for the last 17 years. It's been a shop of one for most of that, but I did have subcontractors for a while. In the early going, mostly. Didn't want to play bait-and-switch by going after work on my resume and farming it out. Seemed unethical.

So, I suppose you're right. I haven't been a manager or an employer in the last 10 years.

That's what I thought, and believe me, I get it. For self starters (especially the elusive INTJ types), running their own small business is often the best choice.

We, in great part, chose to keep our dairy farm small enough to run with family labor, simply because managing help was a nightmare. We had friends with a slightly bigger farm (70 cows) where the husband was working off the farm and the wife stayed home and handled the day to day stuff, with the help of one (very necessary) hired hand. One day, the silo unloader seemed to have been running for too long. She ran to the barn, afraid the help had gotten hurt. He was nowhere around... but his (farm provided) boots were sitting neatly by the door, and his truck was gone.

He had quit... right in the middle of feeding the cattle. No notice, not even a note!

I could bore you for hours with some of the ridiculous (and often, very costly) crap some of our help pulled over the years. But the one I still laugh at is the high school kid who kept ignoring our rule to put his cellphone in the cupboard with the rest of his belongings while working. One day, he had it in his hand while in the milkhouse, and dropped it into the bulk tank.. which held about 500 gallons of milk! He was SO pissed... not at himself for being an idiot, but because we wouldn't let him go "fishing for a cellphone". Told him we'd retrieve it the next morning after the milk truck had picked up the milk.

He didn't learn, either! About 3 weeks later, he dropped his brand new iPhone in the gutter while the cleaner was running! We let him fish it out of the 3 feet of sh!t in the manure spreader, then fired him. It wasn't worth the hassle.

Summerthyme

 

[Kathy in FL]

Are we lazy for working just enough to support ourselves and our interests?

Of course not. If that is the life you choose then go for it. It is part of your Constitutional right to pursue happiness.

But if that is how you are pursuing it, then you lose the right to bitch and whine when you hit a pothole in life and want that free money the gov steals out of other people's pockets via taxes, etc. because you didn't plan far enough ahead or weren't willing to sacrifice enough for the hard times that come along in life.