U.S. — A Wharton study by organizational psychologist Adam Grant and co-authors Marissa Shandell and Courtney Elliott found that leader narcissism was associated with greater resistance to remote work. The research indicated a preference for return-to-office mandates among more narcissistic leaders.

Grant, Shandell, and Elliott wrote: "[I]n leadership roles, narcissists have a clear preference for face-to-face interaction, where richer channels allow them to not only gain attention but also wield power and status." The authors added: "When communicating by video, phone, email, or text, it is more difficult for leaders to command the attention—and gauge and bask in the admiration—of their employees."

The study included large-scale surveys over six years. Researchers established proxies for measuring Fortune 500 CEOs' narcissism, including the size of their pay packages, the size of their signatures in company reports, and the size of their photos in company reports. CEOs with higher narcissism scores were more likely to seek status positions such as becoming chair of their company board.

CEOs with higher narcissism scores were more likely to make negative statements about remote and hybrid work early in the pandemic. In an experiment, researchers primed CEOs' narcissistic self-image by asking them to reflect on the role of a bold, assertive ego in the successes of Apple CEO Steve Jobs and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. Leaders who were primed with narcissistic self-image reflections were more likely to oppose working from home compared to those who were not primed.

Grant, Shandell, and Elliott wrote in a New York Times opinion piece: "The higher the opinions of themselves leaders expressed, the more they coveted power and status—and the more they favored return-to-office mandates."

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon described video-call-heavy remote work as "management by Hollywood Squares." Dimon argued that in-person work is crucial for mentoring, fostering innovation, and maintaining corporate culture.

Why It Matters

This study indicates a connection between leadership personality traits and company policies regarding remote work. The findings suggest that a leader's self-perception and desire for power and status may influence decisions about workplace arrangements. The research provides a framework for understanding the stated reasons some prominent CEOs have given for opposing remote work, linking these stances to specific leadership characteristics measured in the study.