Zillow is one of many major companies to announce that it would be allowing its employees to work from home after the pandemic. The company has long prided itself in its collaborative-driven culture thanks to its startup roots, so remote working was not always embraced. But now, Zillow’s chief people officer Dan Spaulding has explained why that has changed.
“For the vast majority of our employees, we are committing that we’re going to be a flexible employer of the future,” said Spaulding. “That means for some workers, they may never come back to an office. We are committed to keeping our offices and we are going to use our offices as a place where people will come and collaborate with their teams and other teams. We will also have an office available to work in when, say, they have small children at home or they have situations where they have a lot of roommates and they are going to want a place to go and work.”
Spaulding added that as the company makes the move to a more hybrid workforce in the coming months, there will also be changes to benefits and compensation for workers who decide to work from home permanently. This includes providing benefits that are more wellness-focused.
In order to keep employees engaged and maintain its strong collaborative culture, Spaulding says that the company has provided a $200 stipend for necessary home office supplies. Additionally, the company has been hosting online events such as virtual art and meditation classes, and more.