Emphasis on work-life balance by applicants indicates potential issues.
Rewritten Article:
Emma Grede, the co-founder of Skims and Good American, is adamant about one thing: work-life balance isn't your boss's concern.
In an interview on the "Diary of a CEO" podcast, Grede stressed that job applicants should think twice before inquiring about work-life balance during a job interview. Successful leaders, as per Grede, juggle weekends and personal life along with professional obligations.
Grede, who played a significant role in building the Kardashians' business empire, believes your employer isn't responsible for figuring out how to fetch children from school or manage your personal life.
According to Grede, successful people seldom take a day off from working in some shape or form. She added, "Work-life balance is your responsibility, not your employer's duty." However, she clarified that she doesn't expect her employees to be chained to their desks all day. There's room for flexibility to accommodate appointments or parent-teacher conferences.
If a candidate during an interview brings up the subject of work-life balance, Grede feels concerned. "If someone talks to me about their work-life balance in an interview, I think, 'Is something wrong with you?'" she told host Steven Bartlett.
Surprisingly, the mother of four manages to spend most of her weekends at the Malibu beach. But, she admitted, Saturdays are often workdays if you aspire for an extraordinary life.
A Psychologist's Perspective
Psychologist Katina Sawyer feels differently. In a conversation with our website, she argued that Grede's perspective reinforces flawed thinking, making employees responsible for work-life balance. Sawyer, who teaches at the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona, toiled that employers often ignore their role in employee burnout when they continuously insist on balance being an employee's problem.
Skims and Good American did not respond to our website's request for comment initially.
Grede suggests that a 10% raise, a bonus, and working in a fantastic environment should outweigh any expectations of work-life balance from a company. She aligns with top leaders like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk who are not known advocates for work-life balance. Musk, the world's richest man, has publicly criticized work-life balance, demanding more than 40 hours a week from his employees.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, on the other hand, prefers the term "work-life harmony." In 2019, he told the "Australian Financial Review" that achieving harmony is about integrating his interests with his work.
Enrichment Insights:
- Emma Grede's View: As per Grede, work-life balance is a personal responsibility, not an employer's duty. She advocates for extraordinary effort and weekend work for extreme success.
- Jeff Bezos (Amazon Culture): Despite not openly expressing views on work-life balance like Emma Grede, Bezos nevertheless established a work culture demanding high expectations and commitment. Even though he acknowledged the significance of personal well-being, his emphasis is on personal responsibility and dedication.
Overall, influential figures like Emma Grede and Jeff Bezos seem to allocate considerable responsibility to individuals for managing their work-life balance effectively, while also fostering a work culture that emphasizes dedication and high performance.
- "What about work-life balance should workers inquire during job interviews, according to Emma Grede?"
- "She disagrees with the idea that balanced work and personal life is an employer's duty, viewing it as an employee's personal responsibility."
- "If Grede is concerned during an interview, it's because the candidate is discussing their work-life balance."
- "Grede believes that she doesn't have to provide work-life balance as an employer, but there should be flexibility for individual needs."
- "In the realm of business, Grede aligns with leaders like Jeff Bezos, who are not synonymous with advocating for work-life balance."
- "On the contrary, psychologist Katina Sawyer believes that Grede's perspective is flawed, as it displaces employer responsibility for work-life balance onto their employees."
