Ride-share company Lyft Inc. is introducing a flexible working strategy.
In a blog post, Kristin Sverchek, the organization’s president of business affairs, said almost all new and existing employees will have the choice of where to live and where to work. “Lyft employees can work from the office, at home or any combination of the two. We also believe in and support an extraordinary office experience that brings people together intentionally and organically, without set days or obligations.”
Lyft has allowed employees to work flexibly since the onset of the global coronavirus pandemic, she wrote, noting a flexible workplace strikes the right balance between trust and choice.
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“Our new flexible workplace strategy was built on a few key principles: impact, accountability, personal connection and openness to new ways of working. We also wanted to create a strategy that was simple and doesn’t add burdensome process for managers or team members. In general, team members won’t need permission to relocate within the country. Managers will keep their teams on the same page with written norms that guide general expectations, team culture and the cadence of in-person gatherings.”
The blog post also noted the new flexible workplace differs from remote-first models since spending time in the office is a valuable part of Lyft’s culture. “This is where we felt hybrid models failed: specific required days in office are often arbitrary and overly prescriptive to distributed teams with different needs.”
The organization will also support employees’ travel to and from team gatherings about once a quarter. Physical attendance is optional, wrote Sverchek, however, she noted the organization expects many employees will look forward to the opportunity to collaborate, brainstorm and celebrate in person.
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“Going into the office will be a phenomenal experience and team members can work from the office as often as they want. Our approach will always be about bringing people together, not forcing them together. We’re excited to see our incredible team continue to grow and develop through flexibility and human connection with this new model of work — we see this relation between flexibility and connection as critical to our continued success.”