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GM CEO Mary Barra Says Most Employees Happy To Be Back In The Office

A few months ago, GM Authority reported that General Motors CEO and Chair Mary Barra strongly urged approximately 43,500 salaried employees to return to their GM offices for in-person work by January 2024. Now, roughly six months after this request, Barra claims that a majority of workers are happy to be back.

According to a report from The Detroit News, Mary Barra believes that most workers have recognized the benefits of working in-person, and have a genuine desire to be there.

Photo of GM CEO Mary Barra.

“You can’t design a vehicle over Zoom, and so we asked everybody to be back,” Barra remarked. “Whether it’s casual mentoring, casual learning or just networking, you understand what different people do, you run into them in the cafeteria and you have a quick lunch with them. Those are all important parts of development. When people did come back and spent a couple of weeks they were like, ‘I get it. I want to be here’.”

However, Barra then commented “it’s a very small minority that I think are just going to be unhappy about everything. I call them cave people … ‘Currently Against Virtually Everything’. So many people are excited to be there. They’re excited to be in an industry that’s changing the world for the better, and so that’s what I focus on.”

As a reminder, General Motors is set to move its global headquarters from the Renaissance Center to Hudson’s Detroit in 2025. This decision comes as The General finds itself in a position where it has less of a need for space as it did prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, despite hybrid workers to returning to their physical desks at least three times a week.

In moving to Hudson’s Detroit, GM will reportedly take up the top two floors, as well as a street-level display space. As for the Renaissance Center, the fate of the iconic building is still up in the air, as Barra recently didn’t rule out the possibility of demolishing it.

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As a typical Florida Man, Trey is a certified GM nutjob who's obsessed with anything and everything Corvette-related.

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Comments

  1. She’s such a liar.

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    1. I work for the government and I am currently on hybrid schedule. Each day I go into work I wake up 90 minutes earlier and get home at least 30 minutes later. Such a waste of time and tearing up my vehicle. I am sure 90% of the white collar people who are back in the office are not happy and probably applying for positions in other companies.

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      1. Think of the extra carbon emissions. The carbon emissions!!!!!
        Funny, the people against remote work are all about “the environment” and being “socially responsible”.

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        1. The remote workers are cave people??? More like Mary Barra is a cave person Currently Against Virtual Engagement.

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  2. Bahahaah. She is so disconnected from reality. (GM Employee) I read this as, if people don’t agree with me, then there’s something wrong with them, not me.

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  3. I love working from home.

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    1. Me too. Got more done productivity wise too.

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  4. From those of us in critical service industries, who showed up every day through Covid, who didn’t get any time at home, who got it done despite supply and staffing issues: suck it up.

    No, we’re not heroes. But we’re not gonna hear it about having to be back to work.

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  5. I hate working from home. But I do like the added flexibility. I do it Mondays and Fridays because those are days I drop and pick up my son from school. But to me I get more productive away from home. Working from home makes my wife think its grounds for her to give me errands, my mom who is watching my son will constantly distract me to help her with something. At home, nobody gives a rats @$$ if I’m working. So I’m at a point I prefer getting away from home to get stuff done. I also am big on the concept of work should stay at work and not be brought home. Which WFH muddies up.

    That being said, I know I am only one of few that prefer the office over working at home. My wife loves it and hates going in. She will not take a job that makes her go in more than twice in a week. Which is what most people want. So I’m gonna call BS on Marys claim here and shouldn’t expect any grand plans for the RenCen other than possibly putting a For Sale sign on it.

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  6. Check out the generalmotors subre_dit. It does not seem that her beliefs are widely held.

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  7. Think of all the fuel, pollution and wear and tear on roads working from home saves. Would think a WOKESTER like Mary would be all for it? There are many service jobs that you obviously can’t do from home. It is what it is.

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  8. Surprise; of the managers and executives she deals with, 100% say it’s better to suck up in person.

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  9. Zero chance she speaks with “a majority of employees”. She interacts with upper management brown nosers.

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  10. I think I would rather work at home than than be in an office setting with her anyday.

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  11. Remember who writes your white collar paychecks…. the man or women going into factory everyday.

    Reply

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