Tesla is bringing everyone back to the office full-time. The question is, how will the employees respond and how can that response guide business planning for the future?

Last week Elon Musk emailed the Tesla organization telling employees that they must start working at least 40 hours per week in the office at Tesla HQ. His email was noticeably clear on his expectations with the following directive “If you don’t show up, we will assume you have resigned.” This has been a topic of conversation and opinion since with some additional storylines emerging.

In an article last week on MSN.com writer Grace kay from Business Insider was quoted “Recruiters at major companies like Amazon are going after Tesla employees angered by Elon Musk's return-to-office demand: 'If the Emperor of Mars doesn't want you, I'll be happy to bring you over'” This reaction is both a recognition of the very competitive labor market but also a reflection of the current view of work following the last two years of pandemic flexibility.

From a local perspective, watching how the plan plays out for Tesla, how the employees respond to the direction as well as competing employment offers will provide a glimpse of some of the issues employers should be exploring as we work to fill vacancies at all levels. Thinking about what options you have to offer work flexibility in location, hours worked, and other factors can be a balance of weighing the new desires of our future workforce with the operational needs of your business or organization.

There is no right answer or strategy that will work for everyone, but by having the conversation and thinking about innovative ideas and approaches you can make sure your business is at least ready to respond and justify your plan of action.