Local Employer Allows Employees to Choose to Work Where They Feel Most Productive
“We encourage FullStorians to think of the office as a tool in their tool box. You won’t need it for everything, but when you do, it’s available.” – Andrew Thurman, Head of Facilities, FullStory.
It’s safe to say that the pandemic had a major impact on the way FullStory operates, when before, a majority of employees worked from the office full-time. In September of 2020, FullStory officially announced that employees would be able to decide where they want to work based on wherever they feel most productive.
To provide a little background, FullStory was founded in Atlanta in 2014 and offers a digital experience intelligence (DXI) platform. The 180-employee company relocated from Armour Yards in 2019 to a retail location off Peachtree Street, mainly because they were outgrowing their old space. In conjunction with the move, FullStory implemented support for employee commutes, including subsidized transit passes. They were also ahead of the game in ensuring that their office was equipped with a/v gear for remote employees.
In the beginning of 2020, FullStory decided to provide even more flexibility for employees through installing additional amenities. By expanding their new office space, FullStory was able to build secured bike storage and showers for employees who bike or walk to work, or for anyone who just wants to workout during the day. Andrew noted that employees have expressed their appreciation for having these amenities and making it easier to bike to the office.
While FullStory had already made the commitment to support remote work, the pandemic accelerated this commitment when everyone needed to work from home.
“We intentionally started hiring folks outside of Atlanta prior to the pandemic, and that proved helpful as we leaned on this group, once COVID hit, to develop best practices for many of us who had never worked remotely,” said Andrew.
Leadership is utilizing a unique type of analysis to base their policies and plans on. Rather than requiring everyone to come back to the office, they are observing how people organically use the office as it becomes an option for work again. Similar to Livable Buckhead’s analysis, they have started to see three types of work emerge: “the remote worker who prefers to stay at home, the worker who craves consistent time in the office, and the hybrid worker who wants the flexibility to choose.”
While FullStory fully supports flexibility, they also understand the benefit of building relationships and connections in shared office space. To create an effective hybrid environment, they have leveraged several different software systems, allowing employees to reserve assigned desks if they are coming in every day or book desks as needed if they are hybrid or remote. To track this usage and help manage the office space, they are leaning on Envoy, which provides health screenings and desk-booking capabilities.
To keep social connections and communication strong between employees, FullStory uses Slack, Asana, Miro and Donut. These platforms enable collaboration no matter their location, allowing employees who work from the office to connect with remote employees at any time. Because of leadership’s appreciation for employee relations, they regularly encourage happy hours, welcome lunches, and monthly employee story-telling. These activities significantly enhance the employee experience and creates a sense of belonging for each individual.
As they continue to grow at significant rates, FullStory will focus on supporting the people that push the company to new heights. Sarah Ulrich, People Operations Partner, wrote in their official announcement, “…a huge part of thriving is the ability to work from a location that sparks creativity, productivity, and joy. Some employees will crave being in an office, others will delight in avoiding a commute—but that decision should be up to each individual FullStorian.”
Leadership at FullStory realized even before the pandemic the importance of supporting how employees get to work. As their team begins commuting more often, the company plans to once again provide subsidized transit passes as well as a Peach Pass stipend for commuters who need to drive. They are also looking into ways to incentivize carpool and will continuously support employees who bike and walk to work.
FullStory is providing a model for how employers can offer a flexible, comprehensive commute options program that incorporates transit, bike, walk, telework, and carpool, and showcasing the benefits of improved employee health, satisfaction, and productivity.
Livable Buckhead can help your company do the same. We provide expert guidance and support to create a work environment that balances your organization’s operational needs with employee expectations. You can learn more about our services in our Return to Office Guide or contact us at info@livablebuckhead.org to find out how to get started!
