Spotify employees can now ‘Work From Anywhere’ full-time (so long as their manager agrees)

Photo credit: Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu

In May last year, just a few months into the pandemic, Spotify told its global workforce that they were free to work from home until 2021.

As MBW reported last year, a memo was sent out explaining that the music streaming giant would be taking a “phased approach” to re-opening its offices, whilst adhering to local rules on the matter.

We’re obviously a month and a half into 2021 already, and still in the grip of the pandemic, which means that most of the global music industry’s employee base, let alone Spotify‘s, is still working from home.

But now, SPOT says that starting this summer, its employees can work from literally anywhere they like – provided their chosen location is given the green light by the manager they report to.

According to a new blog post published by the company today (February 12), Spotify says that “the events of the past year have accelerated” the Executive Team’s “thinking about the future”.

It adds: “We believe that the time to start transitioning into becoming a flexible/distributed-first company is NOW and we’re pleased to introduce our Work From Anywhere program for all employees”.

Starting this summer, Spotify will be giving its employees two different flexible working options:

Firstly, via “My Work Mode”, Spotify will allow its employees to work full time from home, the office, or a combination of both.

“The exact mix of home and office work mode is a decision each employee and their manager make together,” reads the blog post.

Secondly, Spotify will offer its staff what it calls “Location choices”, which means they can work from anywhere in the world “with some limitations to address time zone difficulties, and regional entity laws in the initial rollout” of the program.

Spotify explains that it has “considered labour law, tax and insurance readiness for our workforce to be ‘working from anywhere’ – whether that’s working from home, in a café, hotel lounge or a co-working space”.

If a SPOT employee chooses to work from a location where Spotify doesn’t have an office – for argument’s sake, The Bahamas – SPOT will even support them with a membership for a co-working space, if they decide they’d like to work from an office after all.

“Part of our DNA has always been controlled chaos. So, in the spirit of this, we’re trying this out knowing that there are likely to be some adjustments to make along the way. By experimenting and unlocking all talent we also enable diversity and inclusion, and making new jobs and markets available.”

Spotify

“A flexible working culture is built on trust, communication, collaboration, and connection and acknowledging that we’re all individuals, with different needs and rituals gives us the right frame of mind to let go of a few chosen truths and instead find what’s right for our business and our people,” reads Spotify’s blog post announcing the initiative.

“We have considered labour law, tax and insurance readiness for our workforce to be ‘working from anywhere’ – whether that’s working from home, in a café, hotel lounge or a co-working space. And, not forgetting the investment required to make sure the safety and growth of our people.”

Adds Spotify: “Part of our DNA has always been controlled chaos. So, in the spirit of this, we’re trying this out knowing that there are likely to be some adjustments to make along the way. By experimenting and unlocking all talent we also enable diversity and inclusion, and making new jobs and markets available.”Music Business Worldwide