The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 forced businesses of all industries and sizes to make radical changes to the workplace – including a significant shift to remote office operations. But as working conditions have changed, some bad habits have remained or worsened, leaving some remote employees to sacrifice their mental health and wellbeing for their work. Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella is one prominent tech leader speaking out about the importance of work-life boundaries.
Nadella, who leads a workforce of over 180,000 professionals, spoke at the 2022 Wharton Future of Work Conference, outlining some of his concerns and recommendations regarding employee wellbeing. He implored managers to set clear boundaries and expectations so workers aren’t compelled to answer late-night emails – or to take on any other unnecessary work-related stress. He warned against the expanding workday, with after-hours work growing at a high rate, leaving employees feeling obligated to blur the line between personal and work time. As for his own company, Nadella hopes to lead Microsoft by example, so that employee wellness is prioritized from the top down.
