Epic Systems

The average employee at Epic is smarter and harder-working than at any other job I've had. There is a real opportunity to make a difference in how healthcare is delivered in this county and how healthcare professionals do their jobs.

I've worked at Epic for more than five years. It has always been stubborn, but its COVID response has become utterly farcical.

There has been a long series of missteps and foot-dragging, but the latest is as bad as any: We've been working from home successfully for months now, and Epic is planning to have employees come back to the office by the end of August, even now that local schools have said that they will be remote at least until October and the number of new cases here is higher than it was a month ago.

Judy, the CEO who once bragged to us that she would bring her children to meetings with the government, has confirmed that employees are expected to find childcare for their kids so that Mom and Dad can come back to work to sit at their desks and teleconference all day.

More, middle management is being told that, as "leaders", they are expected to begin coming in to the office before being officially required, so that their direct reports will be more likely to feel ready (or feel the pressure) to do the same.

I agree with Judy: Being in the office is better than working at a fully remote company. I do not agree with Judy that coming in to the office just to lysol every door handle and sit at your own desk and videoconference with the person down the hall is better than letting employees continue working from home until the office returns to being a welcoming and collaborative space.

This is the worst healthcare-related problem our country has seen since Epic was founded, and we'll all be embarrassed if Epic's response to it focuses on butts-in-seats rather than keeping our employees, their families, and the city safe.

Remember the Buffett quote you always bring up in staff meetings: It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.