Clearlink CEO James Clarke has faced backlash after a leaked video surfaced online, in which he praised an employee who was forced to sell their family dog in order to comply with the company's return-to-office policy. In the same video, Mr. Clarke accused his staff of "quiet quitting" and claimed that they were incapable of “outworking” him.
During a virtual town hall meeting focused on employees returning to the office in Utah, Mr. Clarke criticized working mothers' capabilities as caregivers and full-time employees. He went on to celebrate one mother's decision to sell her family dog so she could return to work in person.
Mr. Clarke said that he had seen sacrifices from employees who were shedding 'blood, sweat, and tears' for Clearlink – a digital marketing firm – and called upon them all to increase productivity by 30-50 times normal production levels.
While discussing his mandate for increased performance due to what he described as a "challenging" business environment, Mr. Clarke also expressed frustration at past negative comments made about him by employees.
The internet was quick to call out the “toxic” work culture within Clearlink following the release of this leaked footage. Additionally, many have questioned whether or not this sort of pressure is conducive towards building a healthy workplace environment.
One anonymous employee shared their thoughts regarding these recent developments: "I think it’s important for leaders like James [Clarke]to understand that our personal lives matter too - we're not just machines built solely for productivity."
Another affected worker commented on how sacrificing beloved pets should never be considered an acceptable solution when facing such challenges: "It’s heartbreaking knowing someone had no other choice but selling their family pet; I can't imagine having my boss praise me over something like this."
When reached out for comment, former employee Sarah Thompson said, "I left Clearlink because of the toxic environment. It's disappointing to see that things have only gotten worse."
The Independent has reached out to Clearlink for a statement but has yet to receive an official response.