In a surprising announcement during a financial year presentation, Australian mining magnate Chris Ellison, owner of Minerals Resources, urged his 7,000 employees to spend as much time as possible at the office, emphasizing “safety, people, and wellbeing.”
Ellison’s company, which operates in Australia, recently faced tragedy with the death of one of its workers. This event prompted Ellison to rethink his company’s priorities, leading to a stronger push for an in-office work culture.
The announcement comes as other major companies, like Tesla, have faced criticism for their treatment of employees. Elon Musk’s car manufacturing company recently made headlines for firing a worker who had been sleeping in the parking lot to avoid missing shifts and for fostering what some describe as a stressful work environment.
However, Ellison insists that Minerals Resources’ office setup offers employees numerous benefits. “Head office is a place that a lot of our people want to be, and they love working there,” he said during the presentation. “We’ve got a lot of different benefits that we’ve brought on.”
Among the perks, employees can order coffee via an in-office app or visit an on-site café. There are also health and wellness facilities, including a gym and restaurants, which Ellison says keep employees engaged and present.
“We’ve built facilities that cater to their daily needs,” he noted, highlighting the company’s focus on maintaining a work environment that encourages employees to remain in the office.
In a notable shift, Ellison also announced the elimination of the company’s work-from-home policy, arguing that employees were being overpaid for the reduced hours they worked remotely. “We can’t have people working three days a week and collecting pay for five,” he said. “The industry is heading in a direction where people want a four-day workweek, something they became used to during COVID.”
While some parents working for the company may find the transition back to full-time office work challenging, Ellison said that the company is planning to offer low-cost daycare to alleviate the burden on families.
The Fair Work Commission is currently reviewing the policy changes to ensure that employee rights and arrangements are properly managed during this transition to mandatory in-office work.
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