"One of the biggest fears I had after graduating from college was that I’d never have true free time again. In school, we had classes and assignments, sure, but our schedules were largely ours to shape. Pilates at 11 a.m. on a Tuesday? Why not! Spend a few hours reading on the quad, then meet your friends at the bar for happy hour? Totally normal Thursday behavior. But in corporate America, I knew the very nature of a 9-5 meant far less control over your day—not to mention the horror stories I’d heard about how, if your job actually ended at five, you were one of the lucky ones. Thankfully, the transition has been easier than expected, with everyone preaching the importance of work-life balance. Well, everyone except Skims co-founder Emma Grede.
let's face it: meeting someone in the wild is a lot easier said than done
This week, Grede appeared on The Diary of a CEO podcast and went viral for her work-life balance hot take: it’s not the company’s problem—it’s yours. The internet was set ablaze; some praised her brutally honest delivery, and others were quick to point out the flaws in her argument. Whether you were in on the drama from the moment the episode went live or you’re here for the long story short, we’re sharing what happened, plus our take on the topic. Here’s everything you need to know about the drama and who’s actually responsible for work-life balance.
In the podcast, Grede explained that she sees it as a red flag when candidates ask about work-life balance during the hiring process. “Here’s the thing,” she said. “Work-life balance is your problem. That’s yours to figure out.” She went on to say that if you want to be truly extraordinarily successful, then extraordinary work is required.
There’s no doubt Grede has built an empire—she’s not only the co-founder of Skims, but Good American and Off Season, too. I appreciate her honesty about her sacrifices to get where she is, especially in an era when social media makes everything look effortless. It’s refreshing to hear someone say plainly: If you want something big, you’ll have to work hard, and you’ll have to give up things others aren’t willing to. But Grede’s stance ignores the privilege that comes with being at the top of an organization and, honestly, shows a lack of understanding of how regular people live in general.
In a first-round interview, I can understand her not loving being asked about work-life balance, but wanting to know if you’ll have your evenings free isn’t a “perk” for most people—it’s essential. She seems to think that these candidates are calculating how little they’ll have to work before they’ve even started the job. But the truth is that they’re trying to understand the demands of the job—specifically, whether or not they’ll actually be able to leave on time. Not being able to leave at five will drastically affect how they afford or manage their responsibilities, like additional childcare costs, for example.
“Greed’s stance ignores the privilege that comes with being at the top of an organization and, honestly, shows a lack of understanding of how regular people live in general.”
When the workday ends, not everyone is off the clock. They go home to more responsibilities. Ones that, in many cases, are more demanding than their jobs. There are children who need to be fed, bills that need to be paid, and a million other things to check off a to-do list. And unlike someone in Grede’s tax bracket, they don’t have a team of assistants, nannies, and household help to make it all possible. They go from working one job to doing another, and they don’t get to head to the beach in Malibu to decompress (like Grede said she does in the interview).
During the podcast, Grede did make a distinction. She believes the “majority” of people—those who want stability, a good income, the ability to pay rent, drive a nice car, and go on a few vacations a year—shouldn’t have to work nights and weekends to achieve that. However, she clarifies that these are the people who have “regular goals,” not “extraordinary ones.” But that statement still feels wildly out of touch. She doesn’t seem to realize that, in this economy, what she deems basic goals are becoming less and less attainable. People are slashing their budgets, bracing for a possible recession, and applying for jobs at companies that are pretending to be hiring. A nice car and a couple of vacations a year? That’s a dream for many, even when they’re working way more than 40 hours a week.
“You can be deeply ambitious and still want to go to a doctor’s appointment without using one of your 10 precious PTO days.”
Grede’s argument suggests that wanting a work-life balance means you’re not willing to work hard. But you can be deeply ambitious and still want to go to a doctor’s appointment without using one of your 10 precious PTO days. She says people should be able to do that. But again, that’s not the reality for many workers. Of course, big dreams require hard work. No one’s confused about that. But that doesn’t mean you can’t want a life, too.
To a certain extent, yes, you are partially responsible for your work-life balance. If you’re distracted all day, you may have to stay late to finish your work. But putting the sole burden on workers isn’t realistic. They often don’t have the bargaining power to demand better work-life balance, especially when their job is something they rely on to survive. In many cases, they can’t even tell their manager they don’t have time for another project. Companies need to step up and support their teams. And not only that, they need to understand that they have a demanding life that exists outside of the office, too. The reality is that when employees have a healthy work-life balance, they’re not only more loyal, they’re more productive, too.
Lauren Blue, Assistant Editor
As an Assistant Editor for The Everygirl, Lauren ideates and writes content for every facet of our readers’ lives. Her articles span the topics of must-read books, movies, home tours, travel itineraries—and everything in between. When she isn’t testing the latest TikTok trend, she can be found scouring Goodreads for new releases to feature on the site.