Citi CEO institutes 'Zoom-free Fridays,' encourages vacations to combat virus-related fatigue

Citigroup's chief executive has banned Zoom calls on Fridays and is urging employees to take vacations in order to combat the "relentlessness of the pandemic workday," according to an internal memo obtained by FOX Business.

Ticker	Security	Last	Change	Change %
C	CITIGROUP INC.	70.16	+0.41	+0.59%

In the global memo sent to employees Monday, CEO Jane Fraser drew attention to what she says is an immediate issue: "The need for a reset now."

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"I know from your feedback and my own experience, the blurring of lines between home and work and the relentlessness of the pandemic workday have taken a toll on our well-being," she said, adding that "it’s simply not sustainable."

In an effort to better manage the pandemic, the last day of the workweek will effectively become "Zoom-Free Fridays" in an effort to combat the widely felt “Zoom fatigue," she said.

The day will essentially be free of all internal video calls, Fraser said, although some client and regulator meetings will still need to happen.

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Fraser is also asking employees to try and limit scheduling calls outside of traditional working hours and on weekends.

"We are of course a global company that operates across time zones, but when our work regularly spills over into nights, very early mornings and weekends, it can prevent us from recharging fully, and that isn’t good for you nor, ultimately, for Citi," she said.

Fraser also reminded employees to take their vacations. To help with that, she designated May 28 as a firm-wide holiday known as "Citi Reset Day."

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"I believe it greatly benefits our firm if we make these adjustments," Fraser said.

The company is also welcoming suggestions from employees on other ways to "manage the strain."

Fraser added that needing rest is not a "sign of weakness" and that everyone is feeling the "weariness."

One day prior to Fraser's note, Goldman Sachs Chief Executive Officer David Solomon told employees in a voice memo that he would further enforce its "Saturday rule," barring employees from working from 9 p.m. Friday to 9 a.m. Sunday, according to the New York Post.

The move is to make sure employees, some of whom have recently raised deep concerns over the Wall Street giant's working conditions, get one day off.