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Wayfair CEO Wants Employees To Work Longer Hours, Won’t Reward ‘Laziness’

December 22, 2023

Wayfair CEO Niraj Shah sent a year-end message to workers telling them to work longer hours. He praised the virtues of staying late at the office and mixing work into his employees’ family lives.

“Winning requires hard work,” said Shah, congratulating employees on a successful year for the company in an email first obtained by Business Insider. “Working long hours, being responsive, blending work and life, is not anything to shy away from. There is not a lot of history of laziness being rewarded with success.”

Shah also discussed employees who did not want to work late. He responded that the idea was “laughably false.” He called hard work a crucial part of getting things done, but ambitious people find ways to balance the two. Shah also encouraged Wayfair employees to think of the company money they spend as their own and negotiate prices.

The Wayfair CEO’s statement to employees depicts a change in the company’s work culture that employees may not like. Shah appears to favor productivity from his staff and wants them to put in overtime. However, he did not say whether or not he would raise employee pay to match their increased workload.

Work-life balance has been a top priority for employees nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic. During that period, most worked from home. They managed to get work done and have more time for family. As workers have been pushed to return to the office, many want to keep the personal time they have gained. Subsequently, Shah’s statements could generate pushback from Wayfair employees.

Wayfair reported increased revenue in its third-quarter earnings, according to CNBC. This was after facing nine consecutive quarters of declining revenue. In November, U.S. revenue for the home living site was reported to be up 5.4% year over year to $2.6 billion, while international revenue fell 7% to $372 million.

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