2020, the world was turned upside down. Our offices closed and we found ourselves working from our bedrooms, basements, and home offices. Despite everything, we had the most productive two-year period in our history. While it’s been an incredible two years for Fijishi, I know it’s been hard on many of you. Today, we’re turning the page to the start of a new chapter. I’m excited to share our design for where and how we’ll work together going forward.
We started this process by asking a simple question—where is the world going?
The answer is obvious—the world is becoming more flexible about where people can work. We see this in our own business. Two decades ago, western startups popularized the idea of open floor plans and on-site perks, which were soon adopted by companies all around the world. Similarly, today’s organisations have embraced remote work and flexibility, and I think this will become the predominant way that we all work 10 years from now. This is where the world is going.
We then asked, what are we solving for?
We want to hire and retain the best people in the world (like you). If we limited our talent pool to a commuting radius around our offices, we would be at a significant disadvantage. The best people live everywhere, not concentrated in one area. And by recruiting from a diverse set of communities, we will become a more diverse company. Now, I understand the anxiety of not seeing people in an office—how do you know if your people are doing their jobs when you can’t see them? For me, it’s simple: I trust you, and flexibility only works when you trust the people on your team. You’ve shown how much you can accomplish remotely. In the last two years, we navigated the pandemic, rebuilt the company from the ground up, upgraded our entire service, all while working remotely. It’s clear that flexibility works for Fijishi.
But this introduces a tension.
Fijishi is in the business of human connection above all else, and we believe that the most meaningful connections happen in person. Virtual meetings are great for maintaining relationships, but it’s not the best way to deepen them. Additionally, some creative work and collaboration is best done when you’re in the same room. I’d like working at Fijishi to feel like you’re working at one of the most creative places on Earth, and this will only happen with some in-person collaboration time.
The right solution should combine the best of the digital world and the best of the physical world. It should have the efficiency of virtual tools, while providing the meaningful human connection that only happens when people come together. We have a solution that we think combines the best of both worlds.
Live and work anywhere
We’ve designed a way for you to live and work anywhere—while collaborating in a highly coordinated way, and experiencing the in-person connection that makes Fijishi special. Our design has five key features:
- You can work from home – Each of us works best in our own ways, and we’re giving you the flexibility to make the right choice based on where you’re most productive. The vast majority of you will have this flexibility. A small number of roles will be required to be in a specific location to perform their core job responsibilities, and those of you who have these roles have already been informed.
- You can move anywhere and your compensation won’t change – This means you can move from Lagos to Kigali, or from Jeddah to Damascus. You’ll have the flexibility to do what’s best for your life—whether that’s staying put, moving closer to family, or living in a place you’ve always dreamed of. If you move, your compensation won’t change. Starting in June, we’ll have single pay tiers by country for salary. Before you move, make sure to talk to your manager about time zone expectations, as well as your availability for team gatherings. Permanent international moves are much more complex, so we won’t be able to support those.
- You have the flexibility to travel and work around the world – Starting in September, you can live and work in over 70 countries for up to 30 days a year in each location. Everyone will still need a permanent address for tax and payroll purposes, but we’re excited to give you this level of flexibility. Most companies don’t do this because of the mountain of complexities with taxes, payroll, and time zone availability. While you’ll be responsible for getting proper work authorization, we’re actively partnering with local governments to make it easier for more people to travel and work around the world. Today, 20+ countries offer remote work visas, and more are in the works. While working from different locations isn’t possible for everyone, I hope everyone can benefit from this flexibility when the time is right.
To recap, here’s our design for living and working anywhere:
- You can work from home
- You can move anywhere and your compensation won’t change
- You have the flexibility to travel and work around the world
- We’ll continue to work in a highly coordinated way
A new chapter
I’ve always believed that you design the culture you want, or it will be designed for you. I’m excited about this new design and giving you the flexibility to live and work anywhere. I think it will unlock some amazing creativity and innovation—and make working here really fun. The past two years have been some of the most defining in our history. I’m so proud of each one of you and everything you’ve accomplished. Today marks the beginning of a new chapter together. It will be just as defining as the last one, but a whole lot brighter.
Office of the Chairman
Fijishi.