Cisco CEO Claims People Are ‘Not Enjoying’ Working From Home And Would Like To Return To The Office

In an earnings call with analysts on Tuesday, Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins divulged the downside of the work-from-home trend, which took hold when the pandemic forced businesses to switch to a remote setup back in mid-March.

As people have been holed up in their homes for nearly a year now, Robbins believes that employees have entered an ominous juncture in the virtual-work experience. The chief executive stated, “I think we sort of moved into that phase where people actually struggle mentally, people are—they’re not enjoying it.”

Robbins relates these feelings back to feedback given by his own staff. “One of our employees said to me the other day, ‘I don’t mind the option of working from home. I don’t like being forced to work from home,’” he said.

Right, Chuck—EVERYONE CAN’T WAIT TO GET BACK TO AN OFFICE. Sure, dude!

It’s pretty convenient for Robbins to say all of this, as the success of his business relies upon companies’ return to the office, as its “networking switches, phones and wi-fi access points are installed at corporate sites.”

According to MarketWatch, “Among the areas most impacted by the pandemic, total product revenue was $8.6 billion, down 1%, and networking infrastructure platforms was down 3%.”

Robbins said that the widespread return to the office will help its infrastructure sales, such as its switching and routing products, and its software-based networking service.

The tech company is in need of a saving grace, after reporting five consecutive quarters of declining revenue. In August, Cisco announced a cost-reduction program that included offering voluntary early retirements.