As the NFL moves past the pandemic, the NFL moves past letting its league-office employees work from home.
Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal reports that the league has informed its New York employees to return to work in the office, at least half of the time. More than 75 percent of the league-office workers have returned to the workplace, in some capacity, since June.
Employees who remain at high risk for COVID-19 may be eligible for extended accommodations, but this will “not necessarily mean fully-remote work.”
The office schedule will allow for smaller crowds and easier social distancing, per Fischer. Employees with private offices are expected to work three days per week in the office. Those in shared work spaces will alternate days from Monday through Thursday, and will work on alternate Fridays.
As Fischer explains, top executives at the league insist that in-person work remains critical to maximum productivity and efficiency. “We recognize that many of our employees have had to overcome hurdles to return the workplace over the last ten months, and as we move toward our 2021-2022 season, it is important to fully re-establish the collaborative, creative and connected environment that helps us to foster continued success and drive progress against our league-wide goals,” the email that Fischer obtained explains.
That’s debatable. Employees throughout the world have proven that they can be highly productive at home, thanks to technologies that permit constant communication and collaboration. There’s simply no need to be physically present for meetings and conversations with co-workers.
Besides, if people aren’t sufficiently productive, they can be counseled regarding their shortcomings and, if things don’t improve, they can be replaced.