Autodesk Life
In recent years, the idea of flexible work has gained popularity as an alternative to traditional work arrangements. Flexibility gives employees more control over their work schedules and locations, allowing them to better balance their personal and professional lives. This new way of working also helps increase productivity, reduce turnover, and attract top talent.
At Autodesk, we have a hybrid-first approach where Autodeskers have the freedom to work where they’re most productive – whether that’s office-based, hybrid, or home-based. We believe flexibility in how and where work gets done helps us better meet the needs of our dynamic, growing business while allowing our people and teams to thrive and realize their potential.
Read on to meet a few Autodeskers who are embracing flexible work:
Hybrid: Cynthia Chan, Director, Agile Program Management Office
Cynthia is a hybrid worker based in Napa, California. Her favorite part about flexible work is the ability to take care of what’s critical for her personal life while still delivering on her work responsibilities.
“Autodesk’s flexible work approach allowed me and my husband to pursue our dream living in a more relaxed city like Napa instead of having to stay full time in San Francisco,” Cynthia says.
“We were able to acquire a couple of times more living space than what we had in a condo in San Francisco, plus a backyard to grow our vegetable garden. The greenery around us and access to biking and running trails have helped me manage my stress levels.”
Cynthia is also an avid world traveler and credits Autodesk’s flexible work approach with allowing her to work remotely from new cities without having to take too much time off or fear work piling up while she’s away. Over the past two years, Cynthia has worked in a few different cities and feels this flexibility is building on the trust Autodesk has in its employees.
“It is critical for me to know I am valued and that I can pursue what’s important for me and my family while contributing to work.”
Office-based: Shrihari Saraf, Senior Manager, Technical Support
Shrihari works at Autodesk’s Bangalore, India office. He says working from the office provides him with the time to concentrate on his work without any third-party distractions.
“I’m more productive when working from office,” Shrihari says. “The office environment provides me with facilities I can use to conduct and attend meetings, as well as focused time towards the delivery of projects I’m involved in. I have access to employees who are also working from the office or at home – it’s easy to connect and collaborate.”
Shrihari also finds an improved work-life balance by working from the office, as it allows him to better manage his personal responsibilities. He says that when he was fully remote, he didn’t have a fixed schedule and would end up attending meetings any time of day or night.
“Being office-based helps me to better organize myself as a person, and I am able to provide time for myself, my family, and Autodesk. This had improved my job satisfaction and overall well-being.”
Home-based: Querida Xie, Diversity Program Manager
During the pandemic, Querida moved about 50 miles south of the California office where she had been working in order to get a better quality of life. Now home-based, Querida says this has ultimately empowered her to take care of her health first (both mental and physical), which enables her to bring her best authentic and creative self to work.
“Because of the flexible work policy and approach, I’ve been able to focus more on my physical health, like fitting in my favorite workout classes before or after the workday,” Querida says. “It also helps me to be more intentional about nurturing relationships with my friends and family.”
Over the past year, Querida had to travel for many celebrations with friends and family, including weddings and milestone birthdays. She says every event was memorable yet stress-free because she was able to leverage both our flexible work and Discretionary Time Off (DTO) policies and didn’t have to choose between celebrating loved ones or doing her best work.
“Regardless of the responsibilities you have in life, having flexibility at work is important to living a balanced life, so you don’t feel guilty or have to miss important milestones.”
Flexibility offers the best of both worlds
For those who prefer the autonomy and flexibility of working from home, remote work can provide a sense of freedom and control over schedules while also reducing the stress and expense of commuting. And for those who thrive in a more social and collaborative work environment, working in the office can provide more face-to-face interactions and help build a sense of community.
For Autodesk, the key to having our flexible work approach be successful all comes down to recognizing and accommodating Autodeskers’ preferences, which creates a more inclusive and productive work environment that benefits everyone.
Whether it’s remote work, in-office work, or a combination of the two, the future of work is looking more flexible than ever before!
Looking to work at a company that truly values flexibility? Join us at Autodesk!