Nothing Can Replace the Office, Standard Life Aberdeen CEO Says
The new head of Standard Life Aberdeen Plc has made his stance clear on working from home: there’s nothing quite like the office.
(Bloomberg) -- The new head of Standard Life Aberdeen Plc has made his stance clear on working from home: there’s nothing quite like the office.
With most of the U.K. asset manager’s almost 4,500 employees currently working remotely, Chief Executive Officer Stephen Bird has signaled that they shouldn’t get too comfortable in their makeshift offices. While some aspect of flexibility is likely to be part of the company’s future, he’s not convinced that it’s the answer to better productivity.
“You cannot change the world from home,” Bird, 53, said in an interview. “It’s an absolute falsehood. It’s lazy thinking, it lacks courage and it’s delinquent on the next generation.”
Many financial companies have been surprised by the smooth transition to working from home this year as the coronavirus pandemic shut down city centers and spooked commuters. Some are seeing the shift as more permanent, with Standard Chartered Plc and Standard Life Aberdeen’s rival Schroders Plc both planning to offer flexible working options.
Bird isn’t alone in his skepticism. Deutsche Bank AG recently published research that said working from home is a privilege that employees should pay for to help subsidize those that can’t work remotely. Naysayers also cite concerns over mental health, collaboration and training the younger generation.
“There are many employees that absolutely need and want to come in and collaborate, innovate, and get out of the house,” said Bird. “Think of the next generation of talent. Think about how we all learned.”
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