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As the Indian workforce grapples with the ongoing debate over the return to office mandates, the divide between CEOs pushing for a complete office return and employees advocating for the flexibility of hybrid or remote setups continues to widen. Major IT firms have joined the fray, enforcing mandates that require employees to spend at least three days a week in the office.

The KPMG 2023 CEO Outlook underscores the persistence of traditional office-centric thinking, with 87% of CEOs planning to reward office attendance with promotions or raises. Yet, reports like the one from CIEL HR reveal that 76% of Indian workers are actively seeking employers offering hybrid or remote options, indicating a significant misalignment between employee preferences and CEO expectations.

According to Deloitte’s Great Reimagination report, remote work and new ways of working offer organisations an opportunity to become more human-centric, agile, resilient, and sustainable. A commendable model of this balanced approach is seen in companies such as Atlassian, a leading provider of team collaboration and productivity software, spearheading a new era of distributed work with an innovative initiative like ‘Team Anywhere’.

Team Anywhere: Breaking Boundaries

Since 2020, Atlassian’s Team Anywhere program has empowered employees to choose their work location. This shift to a distributed workforce means Atlassian talent collaborates from over 10,000 locations globally, far exceeding its 13 offices. The company’s philosophy moves away from traditional work structures, offering a variety of ways of working, including both remote and hybrid options. Remote work typically involves working from home or a shared co-working space, which may not accommodate individuals preferring an office environment. On the other hand, hybrid work mandates a blend of office and remote workdays, a concept Atlassian opted against.

Preferring the term “distributed” work with its Team Anywhere model, Atlassian emphasizes flexibility and autonomy. Atlassians have the freedom to choose their work location daily, whether it be an office, home, or a combination of both. This approach aims to empower employees to balance their personal and professional commitments, irrespective of their designated home base or legal country of residence.

“Companies are going to struggle to get people back into the office. Our ability to recruit talent from rural areas across the country has been a significant advantage. By offering remote work, we’ve opened doors to incredible job opportunities for individuals residing in small cities, not just those in major cities. Since we allowed people to work from anywhere, we’ve doubled female participation in our workforce, so that has made a huge difference,” said Scott Farquhar, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Atlassian.

Since implementing Team Anywhere, the percentage of Atlassian’s remote hires – people with more than two hours of travel time from an office – went from 14% in FY 2020 to 54% in FY 2023. With the launch of Team Anywhere in late FY21, 60% of all new Indian hires at the company work remotely. This aligns with the fact that a significant portion of these hires, residing more than two hours away from the Bengaluru office, would require a lengthy commute. This initiative demonstrates a commitment to attracting and retaining top talent across the country, complementing the company’s recent expansion into growing hubs like Delhi-NCR, Pune, and Hyderabad.

Team Anywhere has also proven instrumental in creating a balanced work-life environment, as employees shared their stories of achieving a delicate balance between work commitments and personal aspirations. Employees credit Team Anywhere with positively influencing their lives, from spending quality time with family to pursuing a hobby or learning a new skill to safeguarding mental well-being.

For Anjali Chawla, an Engineering Manager at Atlassian India, navigating the complexities of pregnancy and early motherhood became significantly smoother with Atlassian’s Team Anywhere initiative. This programme allowed her to balance her personal and professional responsibilities seamlessly.

Ritu Dagar, another Engineering Manager at Atlassian, spoke about how this flexibility played a pivotal role in her life. It allowed her to care for her ageing parents and in-laws in Delhi, and collaborating closely with family became seamless.

“The flexibility provided by Team Anywhere played a pivotal role when my husband pursued his Ph.D. at IIT Jodhpur, coinciding with my tenure at Atlassian. The ability to work remotely enabled us to stay together during this significant period, fostering personal and professional growth. I also got the opportunity to take various courses, contributing to my personal development,” she said.

Atlassian’s commitment to making distributed work work

Team Anywhere has broken geographical boundaries and redefined the parameters of productivity, focus, and career growth. Anjali shares her experience of seamlessly transitioning into a management role within the company. She attributes this success to the supportive company culture that encourages open conversations about career aspirations and provides precise growth trajectories.

“Transitioning into management was an organic process for me at Atlassian. It began with a casual conversation over breakfast with a senior leader, during which I expressed my interest in exploring a management role. To my surprise, the leader reached out to me, offering guidance and mentorship along the way. Fast-forward four years, and I’ve been successfully managing the Marketplace team ever since,” shared Anjali.

For Ritu, the transition to remote management amidst the pandemic posed initial challenges but also presented opportunities for growth and innovation. Today, she oversees her team’s impressive expansion, guiding its growth from 3 to 35 members, all operating as part of distributed teams. Her career defied challenges with well-deserved promotions, showcasing her adaptability and leadership in remote management. Additionally, she has championed gender inclusivity initiatives and internal mobility initiatives within Atlassian.

“Team Anywhere has truly expanded my horizons, challenging initial doubts about distributed team dynamics, especially as a manager. With the team doubling in size and the Atlassian team in India scaling at a similar pace, the challenge extended beyond immediate team management,” said Ritu.

Shipra Singh’s experience adds another dimension. As a Senior HR Business Partner, Shipra juggles dual roles, overseeing the Regional HR Management for India & Turkey engineering teams and serving as the Global Engineering HRBP for IT Solutions and Marketplace teams. However, her career trajectory has been far from traditional, shaped by her spouse’s military service, which necessitated multiple relocations.

“My spouse’s service in the Indian Army has led to frequent changes in location, often forcing me to choose between family time and professional impact,” Shipra explained. “At Atlassian, I’ve been able to merge my personal and professional lives effectively. The work is stimulating, and the culture is supportive, allowing me to thrive in my career,” she said.

With Atlassian’s backing, Shipra navigated transitions from Hyderabad to Jamshedpur and now to Jaipur, where her husband is stationed—a testament to the company’s flexible and inclusive ethos.

Anjali, Ritu, and Shipra’s experiences speak volumes about Atlassian’s commitment to empowering its employees and fostering a culture of inclusion, growth and innovation, regardless of physical location or traditional office setups. Moreover, a lot of Atlassians have embraced Team Anywhere, facilitating their career progression within the company.

Building the future of distributed work

Understanding the importance of fostering human connection in a distributed workforce, Atlassian has implemented several strategies to keep employees engaged and feeling like part of a team. Regular team check-ins facilitated through Zoom Calls and other virtual meeting platforms, provide opportunities for team members to connect, share updates, and offer support.

Anjali highlighted the importance of blending online and offline interactions to foster a vibrant and connected workplace culture facilitated by Atlassian’s Intentional Togetherness Gatherings (ITG) initiatives. “These gatherings offer a valuable opportunity for face-to-face interactions, deepening connections, and enhancing team dynamics. For instance, during my team’s recent ITG in Bangalore, we engaged in social outings and focused problem-solving sessions. The combination of social bonding and collaborative work resulted in significant breakthroughs and strengthened team cohesion,” she shared.

Echoing Anjali’s sentiment, Ritu said, “I think ITG is a unique approach where teams are given an opportunity to spend a day out at a fun location. It ensures teams enjoy themselves outside of work. Additionally, Atlassian organises “Atlassian on Tour” events in major cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai, facilitated by the Workplace Experience team. These events bring employees together for shared experiences and team bonding beyond the confines of the office.

“When we bring people together, it’s not solely for work-related activities. Rather, it’s about creating social bonding opportunities through sharing meals, engaging in philanthropic activities, or participating in social events. We aim to strengthen relationships and cultivate a sense of community by intentionally facilitating these gatherings. We believe this approach offers the best of both worlds,” founder Farquhar said.

Additionally, Atlassian has prioritised forming Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and affinity groups, allowing employees to connect with others with similar interests or backgrounds. These initiatives foster a sense of community and promote inclusivity and diversity within the organisation. The impact of Team Anywhere is evident in the company’s proactive efforts to engage remote teams, resulting in 1,600 team gatherings and over 5,000 social gatherings worldwide, fostering a strong sense of community and camaraderie.

A globally connected workforce

Atlassian’s Team Anywhere approach and value-driven culture are some of the strong reasons that the company is certified as a Great Place to Work by the Great Place to Work Institute. In the journey towards reimagining work, Team Anywhere is a clarion call to companies everywhere: embrace flexibility, champion inclusivity, and unlock the transformative potential of a globally connected workforce.

Atlassian is currently expanding its team in India. If you’re seeking a career that allows you to make a real impact while prioritising your passions, Atlassian could be a great fit. Explore their open roles https://www.atlassian.com/careers and join a company at the forefront of reimagining the future of work.