Stay home, Shopify tells its 5,000 employees
Shopify has been preparing for a long time to let employees work from remote locations, and in the novel coronavirus era it is making the practice mandatory.
Starting March 16, the company wants employees to work from home to “help play a part in reducing the spread of the virus.”
“We are asking our 5,000 employees around the globe to work from home, cancel all work travel, external conferences, and take additional preventative measures to protect themselves,” said a note from Sheryl So, a spokesperson for the company.
“Our offices and spaces will also be closed for events.
“Since our inception, Shopify has supported distributed teams who are able to work from home, or any location they choose with complete trust.
“Employees will receive a remote-first approach to communication with tools (laptops, video conferencing, cameras etc.) and best practices to ensure they remain productive and connected.
“We’re currently testing AR/VR (augmented reality and virtual reality) to engage our employees and promote collaboration and creativity. We have already tested it in the recording of our internal company podcast.
“We believe working from home is the best option for our employees right now to make sure no one’s health and safety is at risk while we continue to monitor the progress of the virus over the coming weeks.”
But a survey of other local employers suggests Shopify is the only one taking such a major step for the moment.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) is not suggesting that its members should work remotely — yet.
“Not at this point. So far, we’ve called for additional precautionary measures for frontline staff like border officers, immigration program managers and Passports Canada employees, etc.” Michael Aubry said in an email.
PSAC is the biggest federal public service union. tspears@postmedia.com twitter.com/TomSpears1