“The role says ‘home-based’, but how often do I have to be in the office?”
This is the top question we get asked from candidates in job interviews. The answer: whenever you want, if at all.
Flexibility is one of the top priorities of candidates looking for work today, but this means different things to both companies and people.
We asked three Auvik employees to share what flexibility actually looks like to them in their everyday work environment.
Manage your work, your way
“Each employee at Auvik has the opportunity to choose whether they want to work entirely from home, at an Auvik office space in Waterloo or Barcelona (if you live local to those), or a hybrid model. This decision is completely up to the employee to choose, and there is no pressure to come into the office at any time.
Earlier this year, I made a temporary move to another city in Ontario. And because Auvik allows employees to work completely remote, I was able to take my job with me!”
The freedom to ask for what you need
“In the early pandemic days, I had my kids at home and was homeschooling—which was a lot. I have an amazing relationship with my manager— where I can say when I’m having a bad day and I need to prioritize my kids. They get it, I can take a few hours, or the day, no questions asked, and put my family first.
Being able to be fully transparent and honest with your managers feels like a huge weight lifted. We get that life happens and shit happens — it’s even one of our Auvik Way values.
That’s why diversity in leadership also really matters. It can feel like a safer conversation to have when you know you have leaders above you who have been or are in your shoes and can empathize.
I always recommend asking in job interviews how many women and people belonging to minority groups are in leadership roles. Be with a company that wants to answer you honestly—even if you don’t like the answer. I’m a member of our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force, and I can tell you we still have work to do. The effort that goes into creating an equitable culture is important and ongoing.”
The life changing effects of a supported work-life relationship
“Working remotely, your home and work worlds blend together, and they need a symbiotic relationship. I know for many people, and in past jobs for me, there’s been a struggle between balancing your work and personal life.
I find at Auvik I have a good relationship between the two. I can take care of what I need to in my personal life, with my family, and take time off. I’m well-supported so when I come back to work, I can really focus on that.
That flexibility, and being challenged to learn something new everyday, is why I still choose to be at Auvik after eight years. I’ve grown as a person and in my career based on just being embedded in that culture.
It means you’re not battling between working late and spending time with your family and friends. Being at a job where that’s not a struggle changes your life.”
Trusted from the start
Flexibility looks different everywhere. When we talk to employees about why they chose Auvik, and why they stay, people have a lot to say. What companies don’t realize is that it largely comes down to how employees feel—how it feels to ask for help or time off, or how it feels closing your computer at the end of your work day.
A lot of it comes back to trust. When you join the Auvik team, we trust you from the start to manage your work, your way.
Interested in joining the team? See our current job openings.
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