The war on WFH | Blackstone boss is latest CEO to claim remote staff 'don't work as hard'

Remote workers are choosing to stay away from the office because they believe it allows them to be less productive and save money, a major executive has said.

During a panel discussion at the Future Investment Initiative summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Steve Schwarzman, the CEO of the investment firm Blackstone Group, stated that many employees have opted to continue working remotely because "they didn't work as hard, regardless of what they tell you." 

He also attributed this trend to the financial benefits associated with remote work, including saving money on the daily commute, buying lunch and needing to buy less formal workwear.

On the same panel, David Solomon, CEO of Goldman Sachs, shared his company's approach to remote work. Solomon had previously criticised remote work as an "aberration" that needed correction "as soon as possible."