Ethan Evans, a former retirement vice-president of Amazon, recently shared interesting information on the world of executive wealth and his implications on daily life and working priorities.
Evans, who saw a remarkable increase of 9082% of Amazon’s shares during his mandate, recognizes that being “out of contact” with common life difficulties due to the advantages offered to him by his position. He describes this disparity as a reality in which many senior executives are confronted.
Evans provides personal examples, such as not having a mortgage and taking advantage of services such as visits to a bihebdomedary chambermaid and the maintenance of the lawn, the privileges which are out of reach of the average worker. He retired at 50, a luxury that few can afford.
The experiences of those who have higher steering positions are even more detached, he said, with access to holiday homes, private jets, personal assistants and drivers, which allows them to prioritize work without typical daily stresses.
According to Evans, this richness and this lifestyle create a significant disconnection of the daily experiences of most employees, influencing the priorities of executives, such as the thrust to return to office work. “Leaders” can succeed in returning to the office in a transparent way since their lifestyle reduces the charges with which the others are confronted, such as the displacement or balance of domestic responsibilities.
For many executives, advancing their career is essential, which often leads to using their wealth to alleviate long tasks. This concentration on work can ensure that the return to the office seems “worth it”. Evans notes: “If work is the main objective of your life, returning to the office may seem a natural priority.”
Support systems whose leaders appreciate – such as drivers, personal assistants who manage the races and the full private education of their children – can spend more time at work without the interruptions of daily tasks. This can make the idea of going back to a much more attractive office environment for them than for those who do not have such support.
Evans underlines that this is not an accusation act of executive wealth; It is rather a recognition of a different reality. He suggests that to fill this gap, stories, videos and data can be used to help managers see the impact of their decisions on those who have different circumstances, because they often live in “another world”.
These ideas come from a place of understanding, because Evans himself benefited from his position. However, he urges recognition of this “disconnection” and encourages the empathy and insight of the broader impacts of executive decisions, in particular with regard to the dynamics of the workplace.
In the end, Evans’ reflections provide a lens through which the business world can understand the challenges of alignment of managers of executives on the realities of their employees, promoting a more inclusive and understanding work culture.
