Struggling to build a return-to-office plan? This company let its workers decide
By | Andy Medici | www.bizjournals.com
Like many businesses, payroll and benefits provider Gusto Inc. had been fully in the office before the Covid-19 pandemic forced a mass worldwide experiment in remote work.
But, when the company began to craft its return-to-office plan in 2021, it decided to chart a different course as it weighed the merits of remote work, hybrid or full-time in-person options. It let its employees decide their own fates.
About 47% of the company’s workers chose full-time remote work. Just 2% chose to be in the office full time — and the rest picked a “flex” schedule with some days in and some days out. About 30% of senior executives at Gusto also picked remote work. It’s a big bet on a new way of work for a 2,000 employee company with offices in New York, San Francisco and Denver.
That is also why Gusto Inc. is hiring a head of remote to help ensure employees feel fairly treated, feel heard and to help the company navigate the potential pain points in what Gusto hopes is a long-term effort to support workers in a new post-pandemic reality, according to Chief Diversity and Engagement Officer Bernard Coleman. But it’s also a recognition that workers value flexibility and that companies embracing the trend could have a competitive edge.
