Elon Musk tells employees to return to office or ‘pretend to work’ elsewhere.
Just like every other company, Tesla has allowed remote work for every role since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020.
The new policy was disclosed in leaked emails Musk sent to Tesla’s executive staff on Tuesday. The news was first reported by electric vehicle news site Electrek.
In the series of emails he said,
“Anyone who wishes to do remote work must be in the office for a minimum (and I mean *minimum*) of 40 hours per week or depart Tesla.
This is less than we ask of factory workers,”
Musk added that the office must be the employee’s primary workplace where the other workers they regularly interact with are based — “not a remote branch office unrelated to the job duties.”
He added that there might be some exceptions, but he will review and approve those himself but that for the most part, “If you don’t show up, we will assume you have resigned.”
In a follow-up email, Musk reminded employees that he set the example by sleeping in the factory:
“The more senior you are, the more visible must be your presence. That is why I lived in the factory so much – so that those on the line could see me working alongside them.
If I had not done that, Tesla would long ago have gone bankrupt.
See the emails below!
First Emil
Subject: Remote work is no longer acceptable
Anyone who wishes to do remote work must be in the office for a minimum (and I mean *minimum*) of 40 hours per week or depart Tesla. This is less than we ask of factory workers.
If there are particularly exceptional contributors for whom this is impossible, I will review and approve those exceptions directly.
Moreover, the “office” must be a main Tesla office, not a remote branch office unrelated to the job duties, for example being responsible for Fremont factory human relations, but having your office be in another state.
Thanks,
Elon
Subject: To be super clear
Everyone at Tesla is required to spend a minimum of 40 hours in the office per week. Moreover, the office must be where your actual colleagues are located, not some remote pseudo office. If you don’t show up, we will assume you have resigned.
The more senior you are, the more visible must be your presence. That is why I lived in the factory so much – so that those on the line could see me working alongside them. If I had not done that, Tesla would long ago have gone bankrupt.
There are of course companies that don’t require this, but when was the last time they shipped a great new product? It’s been a while.
Tesla has and will create and actually manufacture the most exciting and meaningful products of any company on Earth. This will not happen by phoning it in.
Thanks,
Elon
