The debate surrounding remote work has taken on new intensity following comments from Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google. In a recent YouTube video addressing students at Stanford University, Schmidt expressed his concern that Google’s remote work policies may be contributing to its struggles in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector.
Schmidt, who led Google from 2001 to 2011 and served as executive chairperson until 2015, has been vocal in his criticism of remote work. He suggested that Google’s commitment to work-life balance, including the flexibility of working from home, might be hindering its ability to compete effectively with AI startups like OpenAI and Anthropic. According to Schmidt, these startups are thriving because their employees are putting in the extra effort and working intensely, which he believes is a key factor in their success.
Although Schmidt no longer holds a position at Google, he emphasized that the current practice of working from the office just one day a week is not conducive to maintaining a competitive edge. He warned that if the students he was addressing were to start their own businesses, allowing such limited office attendance could place them at a disadvantage against other emerging companies.
In addition to his comments on remote work, Schmidt highlighted the tendency of major tech companies to miss out on pivotal industry advancements. He praised leaders like Elon Musk for their innovative approaches and commended Taiwan Semiconductor for their method of grounding new PhD graduates in practical, hands-on experience right from the factory floor.
Schmidt’s views resonate with those of other high-profile business leaders. For instance, Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan, has also been outspoken about the limitations of remote work and has urged a return to the office.
Despite these criticisms, Google’s actual remote work policies may not align perfectly with Schmidt’s portrayal. Reports from 2022 indicate that Google required its employees to work from the office at least three days a week. Additionally, a report from CNBC in June 2023 revealed that Google had begun tracking office attendance and incorporating it into performance evaluations, suggesting that the company is actively managing its remote work practices.
