Let’s do what we can to keep America from becoming a country of shut-ins judging the world as we peek through the curtains.
Let’s be the country where people are focused on assessing risks for themselves.
Consider some reactions to Houston lawyer John Zavitsanos’ marvelous piece in the New York Times, “We’re Kidding Ourselves That Workers Perform Well From Home,”
We’re Kidding Ourselves That Workers Perform Well From Home
July 26, 2021
By John Zavitsanos
Mr. Zavitsanos is a co-founder of Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing.
HOUSTON — This March, my partners and I paid special bonuses to all employees at my law firm in the heart of this city. Unlike at many other firms around the country, this $395,000 in bonuses — in addition to the $2.7 million in year-end bonuses — was not some apology or atonement for cutbacks stemming from the coronavirus economy. We wanted to reward all 90 of our employees for their record-breaking work in 2020: Our small, specialized, 28-year-old firm had its best year yet, and we did it mostly together.
Not Zoom together — real together.
Some reactions were not particularly laudatory. From the comments section:
“The article drips with senses of entitlement and superiority. ‘Sure, some of our workers got sick, but none of them died. And look how much money we made!’” wrote one critic.
“Pardon me if I don't celebrate your brave decision to cloister in your corner office instead of your living room,” said another reader.
Another commenter noted that if working at the office is so unnecessary, corporate suits will have another excuse to offshore their operations. Because.
My reaction:
Why didn’t more businesses choose to open shop?
Obviously, people who are immunocompromised, or live people with those who are, have had good cause to stay home — and employers should accommodate those workers. (Zavitsanos says that’s what his firm did.)
But why did so many others – especially professionals who could reconfigure their workspace – simply do what they thought they were told they should do instead of figuring out how to make work work best? Why were so few employers so unimaginative?
Now that practically any adult who wants to be vaccinated can be vaccinated, why wait until Labor Day to reopen the office?
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Debra J. Saunders is a fellow at the Discovery Institute's Chapman Center for Citizen Leadership. Contact her at dsaunders@discovery.org.