'I don't want them leaving the building… I don't want them walking down the road for a cup of coffee'
Mineral Resources managing director Chris Ellison has revealed that he doesn't want employees leaving the building—not even for a cup of coffee.
Ellison said that the company introduced "a lot of different benefits" at its head office in a bid to discourage employees from leaving the workplace.
"Why have I done all that? Because when I get them first up in the morning, I want to hold them captive all day long," the managing director said in his financial presentation on Thursday.
"I don't want them leaving the building, and we do that. So, I don't want them walking down the road for a cup of coffee. We kind of figured out a few years ago how much that costs, wandering out around lunchtime."
Discouraging employees from leaving the office is a step further for an organisation that formally banned working from home last year.
"I have a no work-from-home policy. I wish everyone else would get on board with that, the sooner the better," Ellison said.
According to the managing director, the industry "can't afford" working from home.
"We can't have people working three days a week and picking up five days a week of pay, or four days. We've now got the industry all heading out there going, why don't we do a four-day week? We got used to it over COVID."
To discourage employees from leaving the workplace, Ellison said they introduced a restaurant, a gym, and other facilities that would make employees want to stay in the office.
This includes the installation of an upcoming daycare to accommodate parents with children, he added.
"I found out one of the key things for our women in particular, was that they spend about $180 a day on daycare," Ellison said. "So, it's another reason for them to come and enjoy work, drop the little tykes off next door. We've got doctors on board and nurses, we're going to feed them, but mum and dad will be working in our office."
Ellison's remarks came amid the ongoing debate over flexible work arrangements across Australia.
The New South Wales government recently ordered its public servants back to offices, while the Victorian government assured that no similar policies will be implemented in the state.
