Alright, so this article by Jessica Guynn from USA Today has got everyone talking. She wrote this piece called, “Are remote workers really working all day? Here’s what they’re doing instead,” and now people are flipping out online. Basically, she dropped some stats on what remote workers actually do when they’re supposed to be working, and let’s just say, it wasn’t all about productivity.
Remote Workers Not Really “Working”?!
In the article, Jessica shared that some remote workers aren’t working 100% of the time. Some are doing laundry, taking naps, even online shopping. Like, 17% watch TV or play video games, 14% shop online, 12% do laundry, and 9% clean their kitchen. And that’s based on a survey, not just her opinions. Still, a lot of people felt called out. 😬
Now, she wasn’t exactly taking sides. She didn’t say whether working from home (WFH) or working in the office is better, just shared the survey results. But people got mad. They saw her article and started coming for her on social media, calling her out for saying remote workers slack off.
People Went OFF on Twitter!
One journalist, Steven Monacelli, totally trashed the article. He posted a screenshot of her headline on Twitter and wrote, “Hey shut the f*ck up.” Like, dang, he really wasn’t holding back! 😂 He also threw shade by saying, “You can tell us if they made you write this under duress,” meaning he thinks she didn’t even want to write it. This tweet blew up and got like 5.8 million views in two days!
Steven also dropped his own article, showing how he works just fine from home to prove that not all remote workers are slacking.
Remote Workers vs. Office Workers Debate Heats Up
This sparked a full-on war between people who work from home and those who go to the office. A lot of people were like, “Yo, remote workers get way more done than office workers who just waste time on TikTok or staring at the stock market.” One user even said, “They’re just trying to protect their commercial real estate property investments.” Basically, they’re saying office people are only mad because they want to keep their fancy office buildings. 👀
Another person, who works from home, posted, “If the job is done and the clients are happy, who cares if we’re taking some downtime?”
Others were saying, remote workers are more efficient because they don’t waste time commuting or getting stuck in useless meetings. Instead, they can knock out their tasks, then take a break, and no one cares as long as the work gets done.
Office Workers Wasting Time Too?!
People argued that office workers waste so much time just driving to work, chatting about random stuff, scrolling social media, or having unnecessary meetings. Some even said that office workers only start working right at the last minute, which makes their work rushed and sloppy. Meanwhile, remote workers get stuff done and have better quality work, even if they also do their laundry or take a nap.
But in the end, it’s all about the person. Like, some remote workers might slack off just to hang out with friends or run errands, but others are working harder and faster than anyone in the office. It really depends on how loyal and dedicated you are, whether you work from home or not.
Additional Info About the Article
- Jessica Guynn is a senior reporter at USA Today. She’s been doing journalism and investigations for a while.
- In her research, she found that 18% of Gen Z remote workers also have a second job, compared to only 2% of Gen X and 1% of Boomers.
- Also, 26% of millennials admitted to taking naps during the workday. 😴
