Who is more likely to get fired if you are choosing between two similar competent people and you have been told you need to pick one: The one you sit next to and have lunch with a few days a week and possibly lives in your general neighborhood? or the person which you have never met in person and lives 2000 miles away?
"But what if they fuck off to play golf at 2:30 PM or sneakily take a vacation to the beach without using vacation time while in fact only working part of the time for that week?" says the exec, before fucking off to play golf at 2:30 PM and then help the spouse and kids pack for for tomorrow's vacation-disguised-as-a-business-trip.
My girlfriend's uncle told me over Christmas dinner, his job is to go golfing with US bank CEOs. That's how they do business! We're being scammed, and them too.
[1] I haven't finished the show, so maybe "at least one"
But for example, 5 years ago, I worked in a team, when I was only couple of days in the office. Others every day. I saw my team manager the days I was in the office... and also at weekends, because we were friends... so... it all depends.
Because people making decisions are often influenced by their own biases and social preferences, unfortunately.
What is a very odd assumption, because if a company is firing based on competence, similar competent people will get on the same bracket and both fired or kept. And no large company knows enough to fire based on personal competence anyway. So yeah, it's FUD.
Even with the current uncertainty there are employees choosing to change jobs rather than go to an office. Even if you freeze hiring, you need to make sure you're retaining the employees you have.
People don't even have to similar in competence... the farther away from the headquarters you are the less influence and importance you have. common sense