Tesla CEO and Twitter owner demands ‘hardcore’ work ethic from employees as he faces court battle

Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and recently appointed owner of Twitter, has characterised his vacations as “emails with a view,” a remark made during his testimony at a court hearing in Delaware on Wednesday. Musk is currently defending himself in a lawsuit filed by Tesla shareholders, challenging a compensation package worth over $55 billion that he received from the company’s board of directors.

The comment was made when Musk was questioned by the plaintiff’s attorney, Greg Varallo, about his reported holidays, which included trips with Tesla director James Murdoch. When asked about his time off, Musk remarked, “‘Vacation’ is a strong word,” adding, “For me it’s an email with a view.”

Known for his intense work habits, Musk has publicly stated that he works up to 100 hours a week, sleeps only about six hours a night, and often skips breakfast. Since acquiring Twitter for $44 billion last month, Musk has pushed his “hardcore” approach to work even further, imposing high expectations on his new employees.

This week, he sent an email to the Twitter workforce, instructing them to adopt an “extremely hardcore” work ethic or risk termination. “This will mean working long hours at high intensity,” Musk wrote, stressing that only exceptional performance would be deemed satisfactory. Staff members were required to confirm their commitment to the “new Twitter” by clicking a link, with a deadline set for Thursday. Those who failed to comply were informed they would receive three months’ severance pay.

This call for “hardcore” dedication comes shortly after Musk reversed Twitter’s remote work policy, mandating that employees work from the office for a minimum of 40 hours per week. Since Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, the company has undergone significant restructuring, with numerous layoffs and the introduction of new features that were later scrapped. Musk has claimed that he’s been staying at Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters in an effort to “fix” the company.

Earlier this year, Musk’s extravagant holidays garnered attention when photos of him lounging shirtless on a yacht in Greece went viral. One particular image, where Musk was seen with a drink in hand and a towel around his waist, sparked numerous memes, with some focusing on his pale skin. Musk responded to the online jokes, including one that compared his appearance to a bulldog standing on its hind legs, by cheekily asserting, “My calves are bigger tho.”

Reflecting on the memes, Musk posted, “Haha damn, maybe I should take off my shirt more often… free the nip!!”