{"id":52759,"date":"2021-11-17T11:06:31","date_gmt":"2021-11-17T19:06:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=52759"},"modified":"2023-03-02T11:25:29","modified_gmt":"2023-03-02T19:25:29","slug":"why-salesforce-is-bringing-people-back-together-in-person-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/stories\/why-salesforce-is-bringing-people-back-together-in-person-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Salesforce Is Bringing People Back Together In-Person, Now"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

From reopening to reconnecting \u2014 the next phase of our Success From Anywhere strategy<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the last 20 months, we\u2019ve worked remotely \u2014 and our company has thrived. We\u2019ve hired more than 30,000 people remotely. We\u2019ve had five consecutive quarters of growth. We\u2019ve logged more code and met with more customers than ever before. And our employees have appreciated the flexibility this new way of working offers them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Success From Anywhere approach has made us more productive than ever. And yet, something is missing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That intangible magic that comes from being with people. Sure, we\u2019ve moved our brainstorms, offsites, happy hours and team building activities onto Zoom, but it\u2019s not quite the same as being in-person. Our employees agree \u2014 77% say they want to get together with their team in-person by the end of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reality is the pandemic is not going away<\/a>; it will be with us for some time. Given that, the question before us is: How do we combine the best of the Success From Anywhere world with the joy and spontaneity of in-person connection \u2014 not next year, but now? Here\u2019s how we\u2019re tackling it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reconnecting can\u2019t wait for reopening: <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s been too much focus on return-to-office dates. With COVID case rates varying dramatically around the globe, a top-down, one-size-fits-all directive doesn\u2019t work. Starting now, we are encouraging teams to gather in-person, as long as it\u2019s safe and in alignment with local laws. We\u2019ve proven that we can come together safely in-person through Dreamforce and our 65+ open offices around the globe. And I\u2019ve seen first-hand how these gatherings can fundamentally improve team dynamics after months of not seeing each other. That\u2019s why we\u2019re encouraging all managers to bring their teams together \u2014 for a strategy session, workshop, or holiday party \u2014 by the end of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flex work is a team sport: <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In April, we introduced Success From Anywhere<\/a>, providing employees with three new ways of working: Office-Flexible, Home-Based, and Office-Based. Now, we\u2019re redefining how our teams work together with Flex Team Agreements.<\/strong> We\u2019re empowering teams to decide how, when, and where they work \u2014 including how many days a week they come into the office and what kind of work they\u2019ll continue to do at home. Teams can also decide how they communicate and what behaviors are most important to them. For instance, my team \u2014 Employee Success \u2014 has agreed to \u201cNo Meeting Fridays\u201d and monthly Wellbeing days. We\u2019ll also prioritize meeting in-person twice a year, as well as volunteer days and end-of-quarter celebrations to keep teams feeling connected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s all about experimentation. We recently had our first \u201cAsync Week\u201d where employees cancelled routine meetings to create space for more deep, focused work. Over 20,000 employees participated and 80% liked it. Moreover, 81% would like to repeat it quarterly. And we\u2019re encouraging all employees to embrace flex behaviors like Focus Time and Setting Boundaries, to increase productivity and prioritize their wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n