At Vena, we’re always thinking of ways to create a strong culture and positive work environment. This includes striving to provide the space and freedom for all of our employees to be themselves and to create a deep sense of belonging and togetherness, no matter where they work. That’s why we’re actively planning for a world of hybrid work for our Venanites.
Long before COVID-19, we always had a geographically-dispersed team with many choosing flexible work arrangements. But when the pandemic forced the majority of our workforce to shift to remote work, including our headquarters, we made great efforts to increase empathy and communications throughout the challenging times as we all adjusted to the new normal of work life. This meant being more open to accepting and acting on employee feedback, especially their return-to-office preferences and reimagining the way we work at Vena.
As we all moved forward and contemplated how we would like to continue working, living and thriving in the post-pandemic future, this led Melissa Udvari, Director, People Operations & Programs, and her team to develop a hybrid-remote office model at Vena based on what our employees told us works best for them.
Beginning in February of 2022, all employees can choose from the following three workspace location options:
- Resident: Employees work from a Vena office three or more days per week. They’ll have a dedicated desk for their laptop, equipment and personal items.
- Flex: Employees come into a Vena office one or two days per week. When they work in the office, they can book a “hotel desk” in their department’s “neighborhood.”
- Remote: Employees work the majority of time from home in a Vena-approved location.
Many employees value their work from home experience. It provides them with an environment to focus and empowers them to manage their days autonomously. With no commuting, it gives them more time and less distractions to be more productive. Working from home also offers them the opportunity to improve their work-life balance and to be more mindful of their well-being.
But many of our employees still also value the physical office, specifically for its core purposes of socializing and collaboration. We opened our Toronto office to more people in 2021 to provide a space for those who felt their overall well-being and productivity would benefit from using the office as their workspace on a regular basis.
In a Digital Workspace podcast where Tracey Mikita, Vena’s Chief People Officer, discussed transitioning not only Vena’s onboarding, but also the entire cultural experience of people working at Vena in a digital format due to the pandemic, she said that Vena’s culture didn’t change much. Vena was still value driven and kept their core values in the spotlight. The biggest shift was recognizing that not everyone had the same experience working remotely. “Some people are really enjoying working from home. Some are really struggling. The in-office culture for Vena was really strong, so many people miss that a lot. But people who were already remote are suddenly feeling more connected. The key for Vena has been increasing empathy. No matter what you are going through, the team should be there to help you through it,” she said.
As for job seekers prioritizing location-flexible work arrangements, Kathryn Cant, Vena’s Director, Talent Acquisition Operations, says, “Candidates have really appreciated hearing about our flexibility long term and their ability to choose what works best for them, their families and personal lives.”
No matter where our current and future employees choose to work, one thing is for sure: Our One Team culture is not tied to a single location. It’s deeply rooted in our core values and keeps getting stronger as we work, connect and grow together in our own ways.
Come grow with us! Vena is hiring. We have offices in Toronto, Canada and in London, England. Visit our Careers page for current job openings or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter or Facebook to learn more about life at Vena.