Moving on up 

Last week Odro moved into a shiny new office! We’re in the same building but a much brighter, more modern space. The new office is complete with comfortable social areas, quirky wall art and most importantly… a bar. 

Late but worth the wait 

The move was, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, actually a year late. As you may already know, Odro led the way in introducing a “Work from Anywhere” policy in May 2020. The policy stated that even once restrictions were lifted the team still has the option to work from home, or a cafe or… anywhere they like really. So why go through with the move into a new, bigger space if we don’t necessarily need to? Because it works for us! 

The future is now

We believe Work from Anywhere (WFA) should be the norm for all businesses who pride themselves on their culture and employer brand. A survey by CIPHR in June 2021 found that only 15% of UK workers who have been working remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic want to return to the workplace full-time. 72% of people would like to split their time between the office and working from home, with only 11% wanting to work remotely full-time.

Here are our top reasons why you should be looking to join a WFA business. 

Flexy and sexy 

Not having to physically go to the office means we can be more flexible with things like childcare. Two days a week got no one to collect the kids from school? No problem, just work from home on those days, with zero guilt. 

It’s all about that balance 

The flexibility, in turn, promotes a healthier work/life balance. Gym class you want to go to next to your flat at half 5 on Tuesdays but it takes you 20 mins to commute home from the office? Not an issue, work from home that afternoon! 

Global concepts 

Work from literally anywhere, the clue is in the name. You can recruit from anywhere! At Odro we’ve got team members in Australia and the Philippines thanks to the WFA policy! We’ve been able to get developers at the top of their game without them having to relocate. Everyone wants to join a team who can recruit the top talent as they grow. 

You gotta have faith (faith, faith) 

If the employer isn’t offering any form of WFH these days then it could be a red flag. For the most part, productivity didn’t slip during the essential WFH period during COVID. The economic bounce back is proof of that. So why do employers want people back full-time? In lots of cases it’s a lack of trust in their employees and a need for total control. It’s an outdated approach and businesses who follow a work from anywhere approach are more likely to treat you like the adult you are. 

It’s a yes from Greta 

Less non-essential travel, less emissions, less damage! The photos of Venice canals clearing of waste or wild deer roaming free in cities over lockdown was evidence enough that our day-to-day was not good enough for our poor old planet Earth! In a survey by BCG, 70% of participants said they were more aware now than before COVID-19 that human activity threatens the climate and that degradation of the environment, in turn, threatens humans. Why undo the good we did (albeit because we were forced to stay in) now? 

Absence makes the heart grow fonder 

One last bonus WFA perk! When you do go in it’s so much more exciting than when you were obligated to go in five days a week. Seeing your colleagues in person is exciting, especially when everyone is flexible and you don’t quite know who you’re going to see day to day. Suddenly going to Subway with John from the development team becomes a novelty. And who doesn’t enjoy a morning of coffee machine catch-ups? 

The future is now

If you weren’t considering looking for WFA role or didn’t quite understand what it means then we hope you will be now! It’s more than just a gimmick or a hook, we see this model being the norm in the not so distant future. If other employers don’t, we really have to question their motives as to why.