Elon Musk's 120-Hour Workweek Call For DOGE Team 'Not Only Outdated But Unfounded,' Says Stanford Researcher

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Inc. and SpaceX, has been advocating for a 120-hour workweek for his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team. However, a Stanford researcher has challenged this approach, citing its potential “negative health outcomes.”

What Happened: Musk has been promoting a grueling work schedule for his DOGE team, which is tasked with implementing cost-cutting measures across the federal government. This approach, however, has been criticized by Alison T. Wynn, a senior research scholar at the Stanford VMware Women's Leadership Innovation Lab in an opinion post for MSNBC.

“There's just one problem: Musk and his team are wrong,” she said.

Wynn argued that the belief that long hours equate to increased productivity is “not only outdated but unfounded.”

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“Instead, research clearly shows that working long hours doesn't make you a better employee. In fact, it can lead employees to struggle or even make catastrophic mistakes. This is concerning no matter what job you're doing, but it may be of special concern for the Musk team handling sensitive data systems that touch the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans.”

Wynn also highlighted the adverse effects of this work culture on employees’ physical and emotional well-being. She referenced studies that showed increased stress and work-life conflict due to rising time demands, which can lead to high turnover, dissatisfaction, and negative health outcomes.

Contrary to the belief that long hours are necessary for productivity, Wynn cited a 2024 study published in Nature, which found that employees working from home two days per week were just as productive as those working full-time in the office. 

Why It Matters: Musk’s DOGE initiative has been a subject of intense scrutiny and debate. The project, which aims to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget by 2026, has been met with skepticism by some economists.

Former White House Council of Economic Advisers Chair Jason Furman pointed out potential discrepancies in Musk’s claims regarding federal spending reductions and the proposed fiscal targets.

Despite the criticism, Musk’s initiative has also received support. Alex Karp, the CEO of Palantir Technologies Inc., has expressed enthusiasm for the DOGE initiative, anticipating a positive outcome for his company.

However, not everyone is on board with Musk’s approach. Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn and former COO of PayPal, has criticized Musk’s rapid cutting of government programs on behalf of his Department of Government Efficiency, stating that there’s a reason the government doesn’t work like companies.

Read Next:

• Elon Musk Appointed As ‘Special Government Employee' Amid DOGE Department Push: ‘Can't Do Anything Without Our Approval,' Says Trump

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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