Spotify HR head defends its work-from-anywhere policy: No need to treat staff like 'children'

Spotify, largest music-streaming service in the world, has asserted that their employees deserve 'flexibility and freedom'.

At a time when leading global companies such as Amazon, Apple, and JPMorgan are recalling its employees back to the office, putting an end to the hybrid work option prevalent since the pandemic, Spotify has defended its popular work-from-anywhere policy. The HR head of the largest music-streaming service in the world has asserted that they work with "grownups" who deserve "flexibility and freedom".

"You can’t spend a lot of time hiring grownups and then treat them like children,” Spotify’s chief human resources officer Katarina Berg told Raconteur. “We are a business that’s been digital from birth, so why shouldn’t we give our people flexibility and freedom? Work is not a place you come to, it’s something you do.”

Berg added that while she understands why some companies have announced a return to office mandate --“they are going back to what they know” -- she is yet to find a reason to enforce it on Spotify’s employees, especially since the company has had no impact on productivity or efficiency since implementing its flexible working policy.

The company has also been working with the Stockholm School of Economics to conduct further research into the impact on working virtually on collaboration and innovation, Raconteur reported.

“It is harder and we all struggle to collaborate in a virtual environment,” Berg told the publication. “But does that mean that we will start forcing people to come into the office as soon as there is a trend for it? No.”

Spotify has, however, retained its office space and once a year, employees are encouraged to meet in person during "core week" when each team is expected to come together to collaborate and discuss strategy.

“People who work here tend to love music,” Berg said. “We try to find things that make people want to come into the office rather than forcing them to.”