As more and more tech companies enforce office-centered hybrid working policies, many mandating three office days per week, Spotify has bucked the trend by re-affirming working from home is absolutely fine.
Spotify first introduced its ‘work from anywhere’ policy in February 2021 as global pandemic restrictions eased, and while the likes of Amazon, Apple, Google and Microsoft have all since mandated workers back into the office, the music streaming platform says it has no reason to re-implement in-person working.
The company indicated that it trusts workers to be productive and get the job done, adding that they “aren’t children.”
Spotify says it’s ok with working from home
Chief Human Resources Officer Katarina Berg added: “You can’t spend a lot of time hiring grown-ups and then treat them like children.” She stated that the company had no reason to believe that it should enforce office working policies, but understands why some companies prefer to return to what they know.
Spotify’s remote work policy, which allows workers to choose there they work, has had no noticeable impact on efficiency. That being said, the Swedish firm has partnered with the Stockholm School of Economics to launch a study into the effects of remote work on collaboration and innovation.
While Spotify retains office spaces worldwide, the company encourages employees to come in during a designated ‘core week’ for in-person collaboration and strategy discussions, where projects can be thrashed out without the latency that’s typical of video conferences.
Berg added that this structure appeals to workers as well as reduces the company’s climate impact.
Despite struggling with the tough economic conditions that followed the pandemic, including having to lay off more than 2,000 workers (1,500 in December 2023 alone), the company’s commitment to hybrid working appears to be paying off.
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