GMO Internet CEO Sparks Controversy with 'Remote Work Is a Negative' Remark, Return-to-Office Trend Driven by Perceived Inequity Among Employees

Management
โดย ダイヤモンド・オンライン·Read original
Summary · why it matters

GMO Internet Group has completely abolished its remote work recommendation policy, and CEO Masatoshi Kumagai's social media post stating 'remote work is a negative' has caused a stir. Kumagai later apologized for the excessive expression, but maintained the policy of requiring employees to work in the office in principle. Major companies are increasingly moving back to in-office work, with LINE Yahoo eliminating full remote work in 2025 and raising the requirement to three days a week in the office starting this year, and Accenture Japan also adopting a principle of full five-day office attendance. From management's perspective, a disparity in the burden of miscellaneous tasks such as answering phone calls and handling visitors has emerged between in-office and remote employees, and the resulting sense of unfairness is pointed to as the 'real enemy' that causes organizational division. On the other hand, there are also drawbacks, such as the outflow of highly marketable talent who dislike the return to the office and headwinds against diversity.

Impact on stocks 3

Cloud & Digital Infrastructure▼ · 1 stocks
GMO internet,Inc.
4784
▼ NegativeRegulationrelevance

GMO Internet Group abolishes remote work policy, and CEO's controversial remarks may harm company reputation and employee relations, potentially leading to talent loss.

Communication Services▼ · 1 stocks
LY Corporation
4689
▼ NegativeRegulationrelevance

LY Corporation (LINE Yahoo) eliminates full remote work and raises in-office requirement to three days a week, which could lead to talent outflow and lower morale.

Artificial Intelligence▼ · 1 stocks
Accenture plc
ACN
▼ NegativeRegulationrelevance

Accenture Japan adopts full five-day office attendance, which may increase operational costs and reduce flexibility, potentially affecting employee satisfaction and retention.

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