Lions GM rethinking work/life balance after drafting from home

This year’s virtual NFL Draft brought about many changes to the format, including several that were well received. The change in format also brought about a change in the way teams conduct business, and at least one general manager likes the difference.

Detroit Lions GM Bob Quinn told reporters on Saturday that he saw benefits to working from home and is now rethinking having a better work/life balance.

Bob Quinn with some interesting thoughts on his post-draft news conference. Said the virtual draft has made him think about having a better spring work/life balance, maybe tone down the hours and work smarter rather than longer, do more virtual

— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) April 26, 2020

Working from home has probably allowed many team personnel members to spend more time with their family than usual. They probably enjoy the change, and their families probably enjoy it too.

Is this something Quinn is saying in the moment, or will he stick to it moving forward? That’s the big question. In a hyper-competitive industry like the NFL, the pressure to “keep up” is enormous and likely drives coaches and executives to the long hours away from home. Some established coaches like John Harbaugh have a nice balance and work schedule, but others will probably feel the need to return to long hours at the office. Why? Because they at least had the peace of mind to know all teams were working from home during this time. That won’t be the case in the future, and those who don’t work the long hours may feel left behind.