“No one grows up dreaming of one day being chained to a desk in a company”says Curtis Sparrer, a pioneer of teleworking, who rejects one by one all the arguments of large American companies determined to bring their employees back five days a week.
“It’s a sign of a lack of implicit trust, as if you have to see people to make sure they are accomplishing their tasks.”details this boss of a public relations agency, from the room of his apartment dedicated to teleworking, with a view of the roofs of San Francisco.
Coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic, the hybrid organization, with two or three days a week in person, was on the rise with a few exceptions, such as Goldman Sachs and Tesla, who quickly imposed a return to full time.
But five years after the first confinements, several large groups reject this operation. The issue has even become political. Elon Musk, to whom Donald Trump entrusted an advisory mission to the government, wants to eliminate all remote work for federal employees.
Curtis Sparrer, founder of the Bospar press relations agency, at his home in San Francisco, January 9, 2025 / Julie JAMMOT / AFP
At Amazon, engineers and administrative employees had to come back five days a week at the start of the year. More than 90% of them are unhappy, according to a survey by the professional social network Blind in September, after the announcement.
On Reddit forums, users say they have given up applying to the online commerce giant because of this rule.
Others speculate that it is a method of downsizing the workforce without a social plan, but think that the group will lose its best elements.
“Chewing noises”
The announcement of the end of teleworking in March at JPMorgan Chase did not go down any better.
Employees posted so many comments about their concerns (transportation costs, child care, etc.) on an internal platform last week that the bank closed that section, according to the Wall Street Journal.
“We really hope that this will not lead to attrition (…), which results in negative selection”said Jeremy Barnum, the bank’s chief financial officer, during a conference with analysts on Wednesday.
“It’s really disappointing, I had the impression that we were making so much progress, and that teleworking was becoming the norm in the country”see lamented Curtis Sparrer.
Curtis Sparrer, founder of the Bospar press relations agency, at his home in San Francisco, January 9, 2025 / Julie JAMMOT / AFP
When he founded Bospar in January 2015, he immediately chose not to rent offices, to save money and also to be able to recruit people beyond San Francisco and New York.
Ten years later, he has no regrets. “An office represents many things: the power of the person who has the window in the corner, and therefore feelings of inequality. The risks of sexual harassment. Or contagion, when someone is sick. Gossip. Chewing noises »he lists.
Above all, he sees teleworking as a major way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, knowing that the majority of Americans go to work by car. “And office buildings are energy waste nightmares”assures the entrepreneur.
In addition, by staying at home, employees are also more likely to cook instead of having meals delivered, recycle their waste, etc., according to a study carried out for Bospar.
“Where, when, how”
Heather Happe, a DrFirst employee for nearly 14 years, and her cat Duncan, at her home in Frederick, Maryland, January 14, 2025 / Agnes BUN / AFP
By the end of 2024, about a third of U.S. companies required a full-time presence, 38% had a hybrid approach and less than 30% let their employees choose, according to the « Flex Index »a study carried out by Scoop, an IT solutions company.
DrFirst, a company providing a healthcare software suite, had three offices before the pandemic. Today, its 400 employees work remotely.
Management made this decision in 2023, after investigating: “More than 85% of people noticed an improvement in their quality of life and their mental or physical health”relates Mathew Carrico, director of human resources. “And productivity was still high”he adds.
The company has set up interest groups to create links between colleagues, regular meetings so that employees feel valued and a performance system based on quarterly objectives.
“We don’t tell them where, when, how. We trust them, but there are also mechanisms to ensure that the work is done”he summarizes.
Heather Happe, a DrFirst employee for almost 14 years, is thrilled to escape the traffic jams. “At the beginning, we tended to never stop working”she remembers. “But we find a balance. (…) and I see my son, my animals and my plants a lot more! ».
