While many corporate executives prefer private offices and meetings with senior management, Ancestry CEO Howard Hochhauser has adopted a different approach. He regularly eats lunch alongside employees in the office's communal dining area, believing these informal interactions help him understand what is happening across the company.
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Speaking to Fortune, Hochhauser explained that sharing meals with employees gives him access to honest feedback that might otherwise never reach the CEO's office.
A leadership lesson from his former boss
Hochhauser developed this habit during his time at investment bank Bear Stearns in the late 1990s, where he worked in equity research.
He recalled how the firm's longtime chief executive, Ace Greenberg, regularly ate alongside employees rather than keeping himself isolated.
“Ace Greenberg, who founded the firm, sat on the floor every day, and it stuck with me. Like, gosh, that’s really a visible statement. He’s really accessible,” Hochhauser told Fortune.
{{/usCountry}}“Ace Greenberg, who founded the firm, sat on the floor every day, and it stuck with me. Like, gosh, that’s really a visible statement. He’s really accessible,” Hochhauser told Fortune.
{{/usCountry}}“You could talk to him, he wasn’t sitting in some glass office that’s untouchable.”
According to Hochhauser, one of the biggest challenges facing CEOs is receiving honest information without it being filtered through layers of management.
“One of the things that I think I struggle with—I think other CEOs struggle with—is access to unfiltered information,” he explained.
How lunchtime conversations influence company decisions
Hochhauser said his approach proved particularly useful when Ancestry was preparing to communicate its expectations around working from the office.
Before making the announcement, he informally discussed the proposed arrangements with employees over lunch.
Several raised concerns about balancing office attendance with family responsibilities, including school drop-offs, children's sporting activities and other commitments.
“People appreciate it, leveling with them and telling them what expectations are,” Hochhauser said.
“And over lunch, people were honest and raised their concerns, but also appreciated the candor.”
He subsequently incorporated the feedback into his communication, telling employees: “You’re an adult. Use your judgment.”
Other CEOs following a similar approach
According to Fortune, Hochhauser is not alone in prioritising informal workplace interactions.
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Former Apple CEO Tim Cook regularly ate alongside employees in the company's cafeteria, while Duolingo executives, including co-founder Luis von Ahn, have embraced shared lunches.
First Watch CEO Chris Tomasso also eats with employees in the break room, believing leadership titles should not create unnecessary barriers.
These practices reflect how informal conversations can help executives better understand employees' experiences and workplace concerns.