Even before the coronavirus pandemic made homeworking commonplace, Automattic’s 1,277-workforce was entirely remote, with perks that include reimbursing expenses to set up workers’ home offices.
Yet despite its remote ethos, the group, which owns and operates web design company WordPress, does not expect its employees to work in isolation every day. It offers a monthly stipend to be used towards co-working spaces (day passes or ongoing membership) or coffee shops (WiFi costs, coffees). The social highlight of the year is the GM — or Grand Meet-up — where staff from 76 countries speaking 95 different languages, get together for a week of keynote sessions, workshops, team sessions, socialising focused on strategy, learning and team bonding. Employees are encouraged to eat with different colleagues every night to meet people outside their teams.
“It’s still important to meet face-to-face — just not every day, in the same office,” says Megan Marcel, head of global events. The GM is a chance “to get to know the people behind the Slack avatars and build relationships that can carry us through the other 51 weeks of the year.” Coronavirus cancelled this year’s gathering, but the company did hold some virtual sessions. Nonetheless it could not match the GM, which the company will reinstate when travelling is safe.