Zoom CEO Eric Yuan states that the balance between personal and professional life does not exist for leaders; In fact, he completely gave up the hobbies to devote himself to his $ 20 billion company. But at the same time, as the father of three children of generation Z, he recognizes the importance of the family: “Whenever there is a conflict, guess? Family in the first place.”
In the last decade, no company has transformed the work environment as much as Zoom. Videoconference software redefined the modern work environment, enabling the access of the beach, the couch or anywhere else.
But now its founder and CEO is dealing with the unwanted consequences of his own creation. Eric Yuan admits that the rise of Zoom – and the possibility of working literally from anywhere – practically erased the boundaries between work and life.
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“I tell our team: ‘Guys, you know, there is no way to balance. Work is life, life is work,” Yuan told a recent interview with the podcast Grit.
Yuan even admitted that he has no hobbies, dedicating his whole life to “family and zoom.” However, when a conflict arises and he needs to choose between the two, the 55 -year -old man adopts the wisest approach: “Whenever there is a conflict, guess what?
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Yuan is just the latest leader to recognize that the true balance between personal and professional life can be impossible when seeking success, echoing names such as former President Barack Obama, Aunt’s CEO Thasunda Brown Duckett, and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman to quote some.
A Fortune contacted Yuan to comment.
Generation Z: Get ready for the AI Revolution, gradually
Although he feels excited about how AI will reshape the world forever, as the father of three generation Z children, Yuan said he also recognizes the challenges that young people face when trying to enter the current job market.
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“Sometimes I get extremely worried,” he said, citing as an example the graduates in Computer Science. “It’s not so easy to find a job. This is crazy.”
In addition to generation Z fears, he admitted that in 10 to 20 years there is indeed the possibility that most current jobs will be replaced or expanded. But instead of panicking, Yuan emphasized that it is important to focus on preparing for an AI -dominated work environment.
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“Fully focus on what you do every day,” he said. “Try to take a good grade and enjoy life on campus. At the same time, learn a little. Mentally, get ready gradually.”
Zoom itself is an example of the roller coaster that accompanies navigation in the technology industry. When Zoom opened its capital in April 2019, it was valued at just $ 9.2 billion. But less than a year later, the pandemic arrived and the whole world resorted to zoom to keep companies and schools running. According to Yuan, its user base jumped from 10 million to 350 million and, in the fall of 2020, its market value fired to $ 160 billion.
However, a new resurgence of return to the office policies has caused Zoom market value to fall again to about $ 20 billion.
A two -day working week may be in our future
While sacrificing free time by the work routine may be the current reality, the Zoom CEO suggests that there may be some sight relief. In the coming years, Yuan said more people will have a digital or “twin” agent, and the traditional work week could be completely revolutionized.
“Imagine, let’s say we have a very mature AI technology. Do we really need to work five days a week? Maybe three days, maybe two days,” he said.
This shorter work week is also a future envisioned by other prominent technology leaders, including billionaire Bill Gates. The Microsoft co -founder predicted earlier this year that humans would no longer be necessary for “most things,” potentially reducing the amount of hours people need to spend in the office.
Gates disse a Jimmy Fallon no The Tonight Show Earlier this year: “How should the jobs be? Should we work, like, two or three days a week?”
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