'Asses in (Car) Seats' vs. Management

The useful part

Consultant Gleb Tsipursky recently examined the latest iteration of what I like to call the "Asses in Seats" method of management: At the same time, Tipursky recommends judicious use of in-office "anchor days" for those things, like mentoring or collaboration, that work better in person. Overall, he makes a good case for a more active evaluation of output and how different environments affect different kinds of work.

How it works

• Executives should admit they are making a bet, not simply following settled science.
• Employees often value flexible work because it returns time, reduces commute friction, and lets people handle life logistics with less daily stress.
• Using the commutes of the people one should be managing as proof-of-work.
• As if the positive motivation of having a choice of work environments at one's disposal weren't enough, Tipursky cautions against the movement towards full-time office work because subordiantes are hardly...
• In Bloom's Trip.com trial, the reduction in quits was especially visible among women, non-managers and long commuters.

What to take from it

That should get the attention of every leader facing skill shortages, retention problems or rising compensation demands. A hard office mandate can quietly convert a productivity question into a talent leakage problem. The labor-market effects make the bet riskier.