During the pandemic, Zoom has become synonymous with working from home as millions of people have been forced to turn to the video conferencing app to get things done.< /p>
However, even the CEO of the company admits that this way of working has its limitations.
Eric Yuan told employees that working exclusively through video calls is bad for creativity. when he tries to get the workers to come back to the office.
“Great ideas come up quite often, but when we're all on Zoom, it's really hard. We can't have a good conversation. We can't argue well with each other because everyone is generally very friendly when you join a Zoom call,» the 53-year-old CEO told employees during a company-wide meeting earlier this month.
< p>The comments, first reported by Business Insider, threaten to be the videoconferencing service's «Ratner moment.»
British businessman Gerald Ratner has become synonymous with executives who criticize their own products after describing jewelry. sold by his business as «total crap.»
In a speech in 1991, Ratner said, «People say, 'How can you sell this at such a low price?' I say it because it's bullshit.» .
He added that the products sold by Ratner Jewelry were «cheaper than an M&S shrimp sandwich, but probably wouldn't have lasted as long.»
Although he later insisted he was joking, rash comments were blamed in a sharp drop in performance. .
Ratners jewelry companies lost £122 million a year following these remarks, with the company acknowledging that the «unfavorable publicity» of the incident contributed to the poor results.
The infamous «Ratner moments»
Other executives who have insulted their products include Bernie Ecclestone, former Formula One CEO, who called the new gasoline-electric hybrid engines introduced in 2015 «crap» and David Shepherd, former Topman brand director, who said in 2001 year that the clothes of his network are intended for «hooligans».< /p>
Mr. Yuan's comments about creativity come as Zoom tries to convince employees to return to the office. Earlier this month, the California-headquartered company advised employees to come into the office at least two days a week.
«We've hired so many new Zoomies over the past few years that it's really hard to gain trust.» ,» Mr. Yuan told employees earlier this month in a new public appearance. «We can't have a good discussion with each other because everyone is usually very friendly when you join a Zoom call.»
Companies around the world are telling employees to return to the office, and several executives are complaining that remote work is making companies obsolete.
Disney CEO Bob Iger said in January: “In a creative business like ours, nothing can replace the ability to connect, observe and create with peers that comes from physical interaction, and the opportunity to grow professionally by learning from leaders and mentors.”
Mr. Yuan founded Zoom in 2011 and has led explosive growth. in the company during the pandemic.
Its market value has soared sevenfold to $140 billion (£110 billion) at the end of 2020 as millions of people signed up for the product, and Yuan was named Businessperson of the Year by time.
However, since the company's share price fell by 85% after the end of quarantine restrictions, video communication has gone out of fashion.
During the pandemic, the company began to hire employees, increased its staff three times , but was forced to lay off 1,300 workers in February as usage of its product dropped.
Zoom was asked for comment.
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