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Dropbox permanently adopted its remote-first work model in October 2020, after first taking its employees remote along with the rest of the corporate world when Covid-19 hit US shores. While several competitors in the tech industry have called employees back to the office in the last year, Dropbox is doubling down on remote work.
Since rolling out Virtual First, the name the company has given to its approach to remote work, almost 70% of its employees said they’re more effective than they were in an office, according to a survey Dropbox conducted over the summer. Furthermore, 76% have had uninterrupted time to get work done, and 70% have used modified work schedules. Employees are only brought together in-person when necessary, for collaboration purposes.
Virtual First is an approach the company’s CEO, Drew Houston, believes is working, which may in part explain how Dropbox ranked first in culture and values on Glassdoor’s list of top tech companies to work for in 2023.
Despite the virtual model’s apparent success and positive employee feedback, Dropbox workers are facing some challenges in a remote-first world.
Working out the kinks. Employees reported having trouble blocking out the constant notifications from multiple communication channels and finding the information they need to complete tasks. Additionally, some said they were struggling to keep track of feedback received during non-working hours from colleagues in different time zones (92% of Dropbox employees have coworkers in different time zones).
Dropbox has responded to employees’ concerns by saying it will reduce the number of communication channels it uses moving forward. It’s also introduced a new product called Dropbox Capture that streamlines communication and allows employees to “give and receive feedback using screen recordings, voiceovers, and screenshots.”
Workers may also be a little too tied to their desks, according to the survey. Just 56% reported taking breaks, and less than half (47%) said they’re “satisfied” with their physical activity during the workday. The company said it will try different methods, such as “walk and talk one-on-ones,” to get employees up and moving during work hours.