In a controversial statement, Eme Grede, the co-founder of SKIMS, an American clothing brand by Kim Kardashian, has said that achieving a good work-life balance is a personal responsibility and not the employer's duty.
Eme, who is mother to four children, shared her opinion during an interview on the 'Diary of a CEO' podcast channel and argued that she still finds time to spend her weekends on the beach in Malibu.
However, she clarified that someone who wants to have an extraordinary life should be prepared to work on Saturdays.
Her statement could be a wake-up call for others seeking to have a better career.
SKIMS Co-Founder's Take on Work-Life Balance Questions
The Diary of a CEO podcast host Steven Bartlett posted Eme Grede's interview on YouTube on Monday, 5 May. As part of their talk, he asked her about the immediate red flags in a job interview.
Eme immediately said that inquiring about work-life balance is one of them. She jokingly said that if somebody asked her about this topic, she'd leave the interview in an instant.
There's no doubt that many people, especially those who value the balance in their work and personal life, will be triggered by Eme's statement. But, she explained the reason behind her opinion.
'Here's the thing. Work life balance is your problem. Like that's yours to figure out because the way we run organisations now is that no one misses a dentist appointment or a doctor's appointment or a haircut or their kids' parent-teacher conference,' said the SKIMS co-founder.
'When somebody talks to me about their work-life balance in an interview process, I'm like, 'Something is wrong with you,' she said.
Eme Grede Criticised for Her Statement
Business Insider interviewed workplace psychologist Katina Sawyer about Eme Grede's controversial testimony about work-place balance. The expert said that it's flawed thinking.
Sawyer, who teaches at the University of Arizona's Eller College of Management, said that Grede's statement could encourage employers to disregard their duties to prevent employee burnout. It could put the blame onto regular workers when their performance decreases.
Social media users who watched the video also began criticising the SKIMS co-founder. Some of them said that it's easy for someone who earns 20x their salary to ignore work-life balance.
'I don't agree with her philosophy on work-life balance. It's easy to promote that mindset when you're ultimately the one profiting by millions. Why should someone dedicate themselves so heavily to a company just for a standard salary?' said a netizen on the YouTube comment section.
But, there are others who defend Grede. In their defence, they say that the businesswoman didn't actually say that work-life balance is a bad thing. They explained that she was only encouraging job applicants to learn to manage their careers and personal lives themselves.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
