Microsoft CEO Says Remote Work Can Feel Like ‘Sleeping at Work’

Microsoft Corp. has been a major beneficiary of the work-from-home boom spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic. But Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella is realizing the pitfalls of being away from the office for so long.

Online meetings can make employees tired and make it difficult to transition from a work mindset to private life, the executive said at The Wall Street Journal CEO Council on Tuesday. “When you are working from home, it sometimes feels like you are sleeping at work,” he added.

Video meetings can be particularly enervating, the CEO noted, citing brain studies on the subject. “Thirty minutes into your first video ...