Bitpanda’s plan to return to the office

As part of the COVID-19 crisis, we rolled out a mandatory work-from-home policy in mid-March 2020. Now that the Austrian government is gradually loosening its emergency measures, we decided to present our step-by-step strategy, while upholding restrictions and alleviating fears.

We at Bitpanda have been in a very fortunate position to be able to work productively from the safety of our homes. From a business perspective, we are among the lucky ones that did not suffer from all the changes, which allows us to continue hiring new team members on a monthly basis. I know that the past few months were not easy, especially for individuals without ideal work-from-home scenarios. Even though we faced an extraordinary global situation, I’m proud to say that the whole Bitpanda team has done an amazing job so far in terms of working together remotely and staying just as productive as before.

Flexibility With A Focus On Health And Safety

Speaking of the plan, we’ve created a team-focused framework that prioritises our teams’ health and safety. That means minimising the risk for everyone as much as possible but also making sure we do everything in our power for those who don’t enjoy the work-from-home situation and would like to return to the office. Hence, we decided to make it optional to go to the office for now. Everyone who can and is able to do so, should stay at home and continue to work from there.

Some team members are really enjoying the work-from-home aspect. Others really want to go back to the office. But one thing is certain: if we want to do this right, we have to create a step-by-step approach with clear rules and guidelines. This means keeping a distance, making sure that everyone has a mask and using the sanitisers.

So who should come back first?

We start with individuals who live alone, who feel lonely and those finding it hard to work from home. We have a plan in place to get the whole Bitpanda team safely back into the office. This plan can also be easily adjusted by all teams and it allows everyone to return to the office at their own pace and with complete peace of mind.

While this is a really stressful time, it’s important to keep our spirits up as we’re all in this together.

Stay safe and healthy!

Eric Demuth

Co-CEO and Founder of Bitpanda