As companies unveil their return-to-office plans, not all announcements have been met with excitement. In fact, Apple recently received pushback from an employee-formed group in response to the company’s requirement that corporate workers commute to the office three days a week. These employees wanted more autonomy to individually choose the schedule — fully remote, hybrid or in-office — that works for them.
That sentiment appears to be a common one. Research by Gallup found that nine in 10 employees who are able to work remotely prefer to continue to have that kind of flexibility moving forward; however, only 32 percent say they would like to work fully remote. In fact, most employees — nearly 60 percent — would choose a hybrid schedule.
But even with hybrid work models, questions remain: How many days of in-office work do employees want, and should it be coordinated or chosen autonomously?
Seattle tech companies Foursquare, Ookla and Bamboo have all opted for the latter in their approaches to hybrid work. Each company has an office from which employees can work as often as they prefer; however, no one is required to come in.
Liz Tibbetts, head of product operations at Foursquare, and Isla McKetta, director of content at Ookla, both enjoy the flexibility that their companies’ hybrid work models enable when balancing dual roles as mothers and professionals. Meanwhile, coming into the office allows Julia Dunnwald, growth marketing associate at Bamboo, the ability to foster relationships with her co-workers. Her company’s work-from-anywhere policy means she can also jet to different parts of the country to spend more time with family members without eating up tons of vacation time.
Built In Seattle sat down with all three professionals to learn more about how their companies approach autonomous hybrid work, the impact this work style has on their teams and the advantages they most enjoy.
Foursquare powers a location technology platform that helps companies increase marketing accuracy.
Describe your company’s hybrid work model.
Our flexible-first model allows employees to work from home, from one of our offices or in any combination that’s best for the employee and the team. While no one is required to work in the office, I encourage my team members to come in for larger in-person training sessions — and onboarding if they’re just joining the company. We’ve found that in-person onboarding, in comparison to a fully remote onboarding experience, often leads to stronger connections and camaraderie, a better learning environment and improved confidence.
I aim to come into the office once a week and notify my team members of when that’ll be. This way, I can have in-person one-to-one meetings, grab coffee or lunch with team members, and find opportunities to brainstorm and collaborate with others.
While no one is required to work from the office, I encourage my team members to come in for larger in-person training sessions.”
When was the hybrid work policy implemented, and what impact has it had on your team?
We implemented our flexible-first model in January 2021. This management style requires leaders to be more deliberate when scheduling meetings since we lack opportunities to quickly bounce ideas off of colleagues who sit next to us. We’re being intentional with meeting agendas to ensure the best use of everyone’s time.
What are the main advantages you’ve experienced from a hybrid work model?
I have no idea how I previously juggled my professional and personal responsibilities while commuting three hours every day. Figuring out childcare for before and after school, negotiating drop-offs with my partner, and choosing between my daughter’s performances and work responsibilities are no longer concerns. I’m also able to enjoy my weekends with fewer chores because my partner and I can take care of laundry and other household activities between calls and meetings.
I no longer feel as thinly stretched when it comes to juggling my dual career as a mom and a tech professional. As the lead for our employee resource group dedicated to current and future parents, many of our members echo the same advantages, and I have no doubt that our policies have helped with retention.
Ookla uses testing, data and analytics to provide network intelligence and connectivity insights.
Describe your company’s hybrid work model.
We started as a remote company and transitioned to remote-friendly once we had an office. During the pandemic we were fully remote, and now folks have total autonomy to choose when and at what frequency they want to go into one of our offices. Some people go in for the camaraderie and free lunches. Others, like me, work entirely from home. People are able to fly in occasionally for team meetings, but even that is optional, and health and safety are always considered.
When was the hybrid work policy implemented, and what impact has it had on your team?
As a remote-first company from the start, many of us were only in the office one day per week before 2020, so we were used to working with teammates remotely and had systems like Slack and Zoom already in place. We’ve since gotten even better at setting up effective systems for asynchronous work while ensuring that we connect when needed to keep the team magic alive. It’s a constant evolution, and we care deeply about getting it right because hybrid work allows each of us to live the kinds of lives that keep us refreshed and make us awesome at our jobs.
What are the main advantages you’ve experienced from a hybrid work model?
A huge part of my job is writing, editing and strategy work, which are difficult to do in an open office because I can’t concentrate. Being able to work from home lets me create whatever environment I need to feel productive, whether I prefer quiet or blasting my music, without bothering anyone else.
Being able to work from home lets me create whatever environment I need to feel productive, whether I prefer quiet or blasting my music.”
Hybrid work also means I can set aside time in my day to walk my kiddo to and from school and have lunch with my partner — I get these lovely interjections of family life in my workday. This helps me avoid burnout, connect with the world at large and remember who I’m writing and editing for, which keeps my work fresh.
Bamboo helps brands transform their growth marketing strategies.
Describe your company’s hybrid work model.
Coming into the office is completely optional. There are no expectations or requirements for employees to spend a certain amount of time in the office, so some come in for the full day or a half day, others just for a meeting or not at all.
When was the hybrid work policy implemented, and what impact has it had on your team?
Our hybrid policy formed during the pandemic, and we have not required in-person office attendance since March 2020.
What are the main advantages you’ve experienced from a hybrid work model?
The main advantage of the hybrid work model is that people are able to show up when and how they are comfortable. When people are in the office, they are there because they want to be, and this brings a positive social energy to the space.
When people are in the office, they are there because they want to be, and this brings a positive social energy to the space.”
I like being able to pick and choose when I go into the office, and I often go in to connect with my co-workers. The office gives us a place to congregate and work, and getting to know my co-workers in person has fostered friendships. Our hybrid model also allows us to travel while working. Since my family lives all across the United States, this has given me more time with my loved ones.
