Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk sent an email to employees at 1:20am last Friday outlining sharp cuts – which may indicate that the company is on the brink of collapse, Inc.com reports.
The email started off by highlighting Tesla’s numerous accomplishments over the past year before Musk reportedly got stuck into announcing another round of job cuts – reducing the number of full-time employees by around seven per cent this time.
Inc.com has since suggested that Musk’s move could be signalling the end of the automotive company as he scrambles to compete with ambitious competitors.
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Musk has defended the job cuts as necessary in order for the company to meet some of its business challenges. He said that “making our cars, batteries, and solar products cost-competitive with fossil fuels,” is a problem, admitting they “are still too expensive for most people.” The CEO has also admitted that “[employees] must work much harder than other manufacturers to survive.”
Additionally, Inc.com suggested that Musk is hoping to ‘save the world’ by urging employees to work themselves to the bone. And, this is what he is renowned for doing himself. Last year, Business Insider reported on Tesla employees continuously finding Musk asleep curled up under his desk due to his hefty work patterns and sleep deprivation. And this has done the automotive company no favours.
However, as many bosses will acknowledge, working people to the bone is not the way to drive business success or increase productivity.
It is common knowledge that employees need down-time and complete separation from their workloads and the office outside of working hours. Not only will this help them recuperate and keep their physical and mental wellbeing in check, it will also improve productivity for the hours that they are required to work.
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Cary Cooper, Professor of Organisational Psychology and Health at Alliance Manchester Business School, expresses the importance of obtaining a healthy work-life balance. And a partial remedy to this is by encouraging employees to separate professional and personal lives and by undertaking a digital detox out of hours. He exclusively told HR Grapevine that if workers don’t, then it could be extremely damaging to their health in the long run.
In this instance, Musk is doing no favours to his workforce or the success of Tesla. While it seems unethical to contact workers outside of hours, is it illegal?
The answer is not yet.
Last year, The New York Post reported that a Brooklyn Lawmaker wants to make it illegal for bosses to ask employees to respond to work-related messages outside of working hours.
Councilman Rafael Espinal Jr proposed the “Right to Disconnect” legislation. He told the publication:
“After leaving the office, many of us are glued to our phones refreshing our Instagram feeds, but often times (sic) we are also keeping up with our work and bosses.”
This legislation would mean private employers with at least ten workers also being prohibited from reacting to employees for not responding to work-related messages after they have clocked off.
The proposed bill would fine employers breaking the rule $250 (£191.55) and an additional $500 (£383.10) payment to the affected employee.
