I was reading this article on companies forcing their workers back into the office and it gave me some very strong thoughts. You can read it here

But if you don’t have time to read it, here is a quick summary:

• Employee Preference: Over 90% of employees prefer working from home, either exclusively or in a hybrid arrangement.

• Employer Resistance: Many employers are calling employees back to the office, despite the benefits of remote work.

• Downsizing Strategy: Some companies use return-to-office orders to reduce staff voluntarily, avoiding layoffs.

• Collaboration and Trust: Employers believe in-person work enhances collaboration and trust, despite evidence of increased productivity during remote work.

So they are requiring people to work from an office, despite the statistics stating that productivity and other known benefits of working from home. Whats even more amazing is this “According to ExpressVPN, uncertainty and unease about what employees are doing is the primary reason employers are interested in surveillance. In a January 2021 study, 57% of bosses said they don’t trust their employees to work without in-person supervision.”

THAT IS ASTOUNDING!!!

They don’t care!  

What that tells me is that for many in the work place, you are no more than a cog in the wealth creating wheel. You create value for shareholders, that’s it. That’s all.

Now, some may retort, “don’t take the job!” or “quit!”. And many have done just that. Matter of fact, the article states that many employers are using this as a tactic to get people to quit, rather than announce layoffs.

Mind you, I am not anti-business at all! 

I think that those who create systems and products and put up the risk and capital to start business should get rewarded, while also making sure those who are their stakeholders, employees, and partners also get some benefit out of the venture.

I believe that it is biblical to start businesses to create wealth and employ people.  It is ALSO biblical to treat people and pay people fairly.

I believe part of that treating people fairly is to help people to maximize their time (which is their most valuable asset, even more than money). Why are we requiring people to commute 30-60mins to an office, when they could use that extra hour to go to the gym, do some Jesus Prayers (Hesychasm), cook a healthy meal to eat for breakfast and dinner.

But no, people will be stuck in traffic, stopping off at the local McDonalds (unhealthy), so they can get there on time. Then grabbing a pizza on the way home, because there was an accident on the freeway and you didn’t want dinner to be too late. apparently these things aren’t registering or are a concern to many employers.

So what now?

I believe that CHRISTIANS, who actually practice biblical tenets of grace, mercy, and servant leadership, should begin to start businesses or try to climb the corporate ladder without abandoning Christian ethics.

We NEED it bad!!!

This is why Christian professionals and entrepreneurs learning how to center themselves in Christ, and practicing the Jesus Prayer is so important. So that we have healthy minded people running these companies, which would strengthen families.

There may be some cynics saying “well start your own if you dont like it”

I 1000000000% agree! This is my point exactly. We need more CHRISTIANS owning businesses, becoming investors and partners, and being leaders in the marketplace.

Okay, rant over! lol.

Here are some scriptures that talk about treating workers with care and fairness:

1. Leviticus 19:13 - "Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight."

2. Deuteronomy 24:14-15 - "Do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether that worker is a fellow Israelite or a foreigner residing in one of your towns. Pay them their wages each day before sunset, because they are poor and are counting on it. Otherwise they may cry to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin."

3. James 5:4 - "Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty."

4. Colossians 4:1 - "Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven."

5. Ephesians 6:9 - "And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him."

6. Proverbs 22:16 - "Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty."

7. Malachi 3:5 - "So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against...those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me," says the Lord Almighty."

These scriptures highlight the importance of fairness, timely payment, and care for workers, emphasizing that God values justice and equity in the treatment of those who work.