On a recent episode of EntreLeadership, financial expert Dave Ramsey weighed in on remote work.
Taking aim at what he sees as a lack of accountability, Ramsey joked that remote employees are often “too busy making a burrito for the dog” instead of putting in a full day of work.
He made the comment while advising a business owner who was frustrated with staff taking unpaid time off beyond their allotted paid time off (PTO).
Ramsey used the moment to highlight what he sees as a growing culture of entitlement and a drop in work ethic, especially among younger workers.
He emphasized the need for clear policies and stronger leadership to maintain productivity and fairness across teams.
PTO, Not Unlimited Time Off
The caller, a vice president at a contracting company with 21 employees, explained that several workers regularly requested unpaid time off after exhausting their PTO.
Ramsey made it clear that such flexibility should not be normalized.
“You need to be at work. That’s why we hired you to get the work done,” he said.
Ramsey said unpaid absences for personal convenience, such as vacations, should not be allowed.
Instead, he argued companies should reserve exceptions for emergencies or serious family matters.
“The only time you can do that is some kind of an emergency situation that is approved, and we may approve it to be paid if it’s a situation we’re extending grace,” he explained.
Drawing the Line
Ramsey acknowledged that his own company sometimes grants additional time off for extraordinary cases, such as employees battling illness or family loss.
But he stressed that this generosity is different from workers casually opting out of showing up.
“I don’t do unpaid time off ‘cuz I want to take a vacation and I’ve used up my PTO,” he said. “You need to be at work.”
He urged leaders to address repeat offenders individually and also reset expectations with the entire staff.
“Manage your PTO carefully because we’re not doing any unpaid time off except for family emergencies or FMLAs,” he advised.
Remote Work Under Fire
Ramsey also tied the issue to broader workplace trends, criticizing remote work as a major drain on productivity.
He said the number of people who actually work the full hours they’re paid for while working remotely is “close to zero” and added, “That’s what’s the problem with the work from home is the productivity goes off the cliff.”
A Clear Stance on Work Culture
For Ramsey, the bottom line is that employees need structure, accountability, and respect for company policies.
He argued that those seeking casual flexibility may be better suited for part-time or contractor roles.
“If you want to do that, you need to go work as a part-time job or a contractor somewhere,” he said.
Ramsey closed the discussion by urging leaders to balance kindness with firm expectations.
Showing grace in moments of crisis is one thing, he explained, but consistently allowing workers to decide when they want to show up “means I’ve hired the wrong person.”
IMAGE CREDIT: ”Dave Ramsey” by Gage Skidmore, via Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Image adjusted for layout.