Musk Demands Government Workers Report Weekly Tasks or Face Job Loss

Elon Musk Implements Weekly Accomplishment Reports for Federal Employees

In a significant move echoing tactics from his recent leadership at X (formerly Twitter), Elon Musk has instructed federal workers to summarize their weekly achievements in response to an email he sent on Saturday. This directive has stirred reactions among government employees and labor unions, as it mirrors actions he previously took to streamline operations and reduce workforce numbers at X.

The email sent by Musk to federal employees requested them to reply with approximately five bullet points outlining their accomplishments for the week and to copy their managers on the correspondence. This strategy has raised eyebrows as it resembles the approach Musk utilized during his controversial takeover of X, which was marked by significant layoffs and restructuring.

"Please reply to this email with approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished this week and cc your manager," noted the email, as reported by The New York Times. Such direct requests, while aimed at increasing accountability, have also been seen as a preparatory step for potential layoffs, creating an air of unease among federal workers.

Musk has been leveraging his experience from leading X to reshape the federal government through his newly established Department of Government Efficiency. The initiative appears to have garnered some support from political figures, including former President Donald Trump, who expressed his approval of Musk’s efforts and urged him to take a more aggressive stance in reforming federal operations. Trump provided his backing through a post on Truth Social, stating, “Elon is doing a great job, but I would like to see him be more aggressive.”

In a follow-up social media post, Musk reinforced the seriousness of his new directive, stating that failure to comply with the email request would be interpreted as a resignation. "All federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week," he wrote, emphasizing that his actions aligned with demands he believed were imposed by the current administration.

This latest directive from Musk has prompted reactions from various quarters, including the White House, which had not immediately issued a comment following the dissemination of the email. The approach Musk is taking bears a striking resemblance to a previous incident at Twitter. In April 2022, Musk was at the center of a contentious dialogue with then-CEO Parag Agrawal, during which he inquired about the productivity of the team, asking, “What did you get done this week?” This exchange reportedly catalyzed Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, which he finalized in October 2022.

As part of his management style at Twitter, Musk directed employees to print their recent code contributions, an exercise aimed at demonstrating their productivity levels in a somewhat confrontational manner. These methods have led to criticisms of Musk’s leadership style, with detractors arguing that such tactics foster an environment of fear rather than collaboration.

In light of Musk’s recent initiatives within the federal government, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which is the largest union representing federal workers, has voiced its concerns. The union has pledged to contest any unlawful terminations resulting from Musk’s new reporting requirements. AFGE President Everett Kelley criticized the approach taken by Musk and the Trump administration, expressing disdain for what he described as their lack of respect for federal employees.

“It is cruel and disrespectful,” Kelley stated in response to Musk’s email to federal workers, “to hundreds of thousands of veterans who are wearing their second uniform in the civil service to be forced to justify their job duties to this out-of-touch, privileged, unelected billionaire who has never performed one single hour of honest public service in his life.” The union’s strong reaction underscores the potential ramifications of Musk’s management tactics on the morale and job security of federal employees.

As the situation develops, it remains to be seen how federal workers will respond to Musk’s demands and whether this will lead to further unrest or shifts in personnel within government agencies. Musk’s controversial approach has already drawn national attention, showcasing the complex intersections of private sector management styles when applied to government operations.