'Work life balance is not for...' LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman's old remark on startup hustle resurfaces
Reid Hoffman defends LinkedIn's intense early work culture, where employees worked after family dinners. He argues that work-life balance isn't compatible with startup success, suggesting those who disagree misunderstand the startup reality.
FollowReid Hoffman, a co-founder of LinkedIn, recently resurfaced remarks that underscore his contentious position on work-life balance for startup employees, revealing that in the company's early days, employees were expected to continue working from home after having dinner with their families.
He said, "When we started LinkedIn, we started with people who had families. So we said, sure, go home have dinner with your family." Hoffman said, "Then, after dinner with your family, open up your laptop and get back in the shared work experience and keep working."
The software entrepreneur's attitude to work schedules offers insight into the rigorous culture that fuelled LinkedIn's growth before to Microsoft's 2016 acquisition of the company for $26.2 billion.
According to Hoffman, a strong work ethic is essential for startup success. In 2014, Hoffman said at Stanford University's "How to Start a Startup" class, "If I ever hear a founder talking about, 'this is how I have a balanced life'—they're not committed to winning."
Despite growing conversations about workplace wellness since the pandemic, Hoffman's position remains unchanged. "Work-life balance is not the start-up game," he said on the Diary of a CEO podcast. The co-founder of LinkedIn argues that individuals who disagree with him are essentially ignorant of the reality of startups.
"The people that think that's toxic don't understand the start-up game, and they're just wrong," he said. "The game is intense. And by the way, if you don't do that, eventually, you're out of a job." Hoffman suggests that individuals who enjoy the grind might reap substantial financial benefits. About 100 early LinkedIn workers "don't need to work anymore" after the company's success, he claimed.
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