--- title: "Ancestry CEO Howard Hochhauser Eats Lunch with Employees in Office Break Room" url: https://newscentral.site/ancestry-ceo-howard-hochhauser-eats-lunch-with-employees-in-office/ language: en publisher: "News Central Site" section: "Business" published: 2026-10-11T11:22:00.000Z updated: 2026-10-11T12:45:43.721Z id: 71495c22-940d-4603-8862-cb947fb6f052 source: "Fortune https://fortune.com/2026/10/11/ancestry-ceo-career-advice-lunch-with-employees-break-room/" attribution: "Link to https://newscentral.site/ancestry-ceo-howard-hochhauser-eats-lunch-with-employees-in-office/ and name News Central Site when you quote or summarize this story." --- # Ancestry CEO Howard Hochhauser Eats Lunch with Employees in Office Break Room Ancestry's CEO Howard Hochhauser is bucking the trend of CEOs isolating themselves by eating lunch with employees in the office break room. Ancestry's CEO Howard Hochhauser is bucking the trend of CEOs isolating themselves in plush corner offices by eating lunch with his employees in the office break room. This habit was instilled in him during his time at Bear Stearns, where he worked under long-time CEO Ace Greenberg. As a vice president and equity research analyst within the company's equity research department, Hochhauser witnessed firsthand how Greenberg made himself accessible to staff by eating with them during their breaks. Hochhauser credits Greenberg's approach for showing him that being visible among employees is essential for a leader. By doing so, they can gather valuable insights and feedback from those on the ground. As he puts it, Ace Greenberg would sit on the floor every day, and it stuck with me. By sharing meals with his team, Hochhauser claims to get an unvarnished view of how company policies and decisions are received by employees. This is in contrast to being insulated from feedback due to a "bubble that often surrounds CEOs. When implementing new working expectations at Ancestry, Hochhauser says he was pleased to find that his staff were honest with him about their reservations. Hochhauser's experiment with in-person expectations was influenced by a billionaire boss who taught him the value of eating lunch with employees in the break room. This practice allows executives to tap into unfiltered information from their staff. When testing his new approach with Ancestry employees, Hochhauser found that they were willing to share their concerns about returning to the office. Specifically, they worried about how it would impact their caregiving responsibilities, such as dropping off children at school or attending evening soccer games. These candid conversations helped Hochhauser adjust his plans and communicate more effectively with his team. He made it clear that employees should use their judgment when deciding whether to come into the office. Shared meals can be a powerful tool for executives seeking direct feedback from their staff. It's an opportunity for them to gauge employee sentiment and build consensus during difficult transitions. ABN Amro, a Dutch bank facing significant challenges, has also used shared meals as a way to rally its troops. CEO Marguerite Bérard discussed the company's growing pains with staffers over weekly lunches, helping to mitigate the impact of major workforce reductions. The practice of eating lunch with employees has become an essential part of Marguerite Bérard's management style at Ancestry. By sharing meals with colleagues, he is able to gather unfiltered information about the company and its operations. This approach has been adopted by other leaders as well, who recognize the value of direct communication with their teams. Some notable examples include Tim Cook's time at Apple, where he would often join employees in the cafeteria during lunch. This was a departure from his predecessor Steve Jobs' habit of dining with design executive Jonathan Ive. The shift to more inclusive lunches has been seen as a key factor in fostering a sense of community and collaboration within the company. Duolingo's leaders also prioritize team lunches, which bring together executives and employees from various departments. According to Severin Hacker, CTO and cofounder of the learning platform, these daily gatherings are fundamental to our company culture". By connecting with staff members in an informal setting, Duolingo's leadership is able to tap into a more honest and direct source of feedback. Hacker has noted that team lunches offer a unique opportunity for employees who don't normally work together to interact and share their perspectives. On any given day, executives like Luis von Ahn or Hacker might find themselves sitting next to a new hire or colleagues from different teams. This proximity allows for more open and candid discussions about the company's challenges and successes. The value of team lunches has been underscored by Duolingo's leadership, who believe that they provide a more authentic gauge of employee sentiment than traditional engagement surveys. By fostering an environment where staff feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns, companies like Duolingo are able to build stronger relationships with their teams and drive greater collaboration and innovation. By incorporating informal dining into his management style, First Watch CEO Chris Tomasso fosters a sense of camaraderie among employees. Tomasso's approach to leadership is marked by a desire to connect with staff on an everyday level rather than maintaining a formal distance. He chooses to eat lunch in the break room alongside colleagues, which often surprises new employees. This practice helps him stay grounded and informed about workplace dynamics. This approach not only strengthens relationships between Tomasso and his team but also encourages open communication and collaboration. By breaking bread with staff members, he gains access to unfiltered feedback and insights that might otherwise go unnoticed in a more formal setting. --- Source: [Fortune](https://fortune.com/2026/10/11/ancestry-ceo-career-advice-lunch-with-employees-break-room/) Published by News Central Site: https://newscentral.site/ancestry-ceo-howard-hochhauser-eats-lunch-with-employees-in-office/