‘WORK FROM ANYWHERE’ SOFTENS IN-PERSON PUSH
Some companies hone their policies while maintaining remote work perk
Over 42 million Americans are expected to travel Memorial Day weekend, kicking off what’s set to be a record-breaking summer. This year, though, pricey airfare isn’t the only obstacle for those looking for a change of scene — stricter returnto-office rules have curbed the freedom many white-collar workers enjoyed before being called back to their desks.
One solution that’s cropped up: Hybrid work schedules, but with a set amount of time allotted — usually two to four weeks — for employees to enjoy the fully remote life.
So-called “work from anywhere” (WFA) weeks are still relatively uncommon, according to Rob Sadow, chief executive officer of Scoop Technologies, a firm that tracks remote work policies at over 4,000 companies. But recently, a handful of big-name companies have so far adopted the policy, from top financial services firms like American Express, Visa and Mastercard and tech giants like Alphabet’s Google to small startups, progressive employers like Patagonia and even the government-sponsored mortgage lender Freddie Mac.
Employees typically have the option to use their WFA weeks when it’s most convenient for them throughout the year. Some firms take a more structured approach: While the bank hasn’t made it an official policy, Citigroup last year allowed its employees to work remotely the last two weeks of August and December. Some organizations, like Freddie Mac, specify that the weeks are to be used non-consecutively.
“Anecdotally, the companies we have heard implement ‘work from anywhere’ weeks often do it at the same time as implementing increased requirements to be in the office” to reduce employee pushback,