Found this out through a coworker who talked to HR. Reason Nike won't do remote? They've promised the State of Oregon a set number of taxpayers in order to get their corporate tax breaks. Don't hold your breath thinking Nike is going to follow Amazon's suit...
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Better tax treatment for promising local tax payers. This publication from Oregon Live just backs it all up:
"Nike promised that if it got the tax treatment it wanted, the company would expand its existing campus in Washington County, invest at least $150 million in the project and create 500 new jobs. In fact, Nike’s growth exceeded all expectations. It has added more than 4,000 additional local jobs, and the investment in the new campus is approaching $1 billion."
https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2021/11/nike-lobbyist-julia-brim-edwards-who-fiercely-battled-on-behalf-of-sneaker-giant-to-call-it-quits.html
This post aged like milk
That's interesting. I'm sure they realized letting workers work remote full time could end up with a scenario where you have hundreds/thousands of workers move just over the river to WA where they'd pay no income tax since they're performing 100% of their work in WA instead of OR. I'm sure OR doesn't want to lose that tax money.
Innovation has nothing to do with it. They need people at WHQ and in Oregon for the aforementioned tax deal and to justify the $1B spent on the expansion and remodeling of the campus. Plus, you know, collaboration and teamwork and the power of personal relationships and reading your slide deck aloud to a crowd while it is projected on a huge screen and...
Wasn't NIKE founded on being innovative? They are losing the innovation battle to companies like Amazon.
This makes complete sense! They are tethered to an old agreement like I am tethered to having my salary be subject to Oregon's insane tax rate.
Where is the innovation in cramming everyone into a space for 3 days a week? Sounds like a COVID pressure cooker to me.