Enriching Experiences from Guidewire’s Work from Anywhere Program

  • Mark Daniels

September 09, 2022

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When Guidewire first launched our Work from (almost) Anywhere program last October, we did so with an intention of taking a bold step towards creating a more global, employee driven mobility program. One that would help the company attract and retain the global talent necessary to support our growth and customer satisfaction.

Employees enthusiastically received the program, but, as with any new program, we did not know exactly how it would play out over time. Nine months in, the market has seen other companies jump on the “work from anywhere” bandwagon, but what has been the impact? How is this new flexibility playing out, and what does it mean for people and teams?

Guidewire has more than 3,300 people on its global team – and to date we have had 200+ people participate in the program. Here are a few of their stories:

From Down Under to Dinner with Mom in Poland

Robert Manka, who is based in Australia, grew up in Poland where his mother still lives. The travel restrictions of the pandemic left him unable to see his family for over two years. When Robert signed on to work from Poland for six weeks through the Work From Anywhere program, his simple motivation was to have dinner with his mom every night.

Robert reported, “I am grateful that Guidewire allows me to have dinner with my mom every night for six weeks.”

From Silicon Valley to South India

Our company, like many tech companies, relies on several Indian nationals who have relocated to work in the U.S. Over half of our program participants are employees returning to their country of origin for a period of time, often so their children can spend time with extended family. For example, Srini Eathakota, a software engineer on our Product Development team, is the proud dad of a 1-year-old son. His son had never met his grandparents and now can spend quality time getting to know them along with his extended family during the five-month assignment that Srini signed on for in Andhra Pradesh in South India.

Srini said of his experience, “It is fantastic to get to live temporarily in my home country of India with my family and the chance to live with my elderly parents who can get to know their grandchildren.”

The Kids Are Learning French in Paris

Sometimes it is families eager for an enriching experience, wanting to give their kids a chance to learn and grow in new ways. Frank Beier signed on a five-month stay in France to be nearby during his daughter’s study abroad experience. After two years of mostly online schooling and work, Frank is excited for all his family to have an unforgettable global family adventure thanks to Guidewire’s Work from (Almost) Anywhere program.

Frank said of his family adventure, “Living abroad is something my wife and I have been talking about for years and we never could find the right time. This is the perfect opportunity for us to live the dream and go to France – and our daughter will be on her study abroad program there at the same time.”

So, whether it is reuniting with a loved one, seeking joy and adventure, or growing in new ways with your family, new possibilities are unfolding thanks to Guidewire’s new global mobility program. And these are just a few of the many stories being written every day as the Work from (almost) Anywhere program grows and becomes part of our culture. Our Guidewire Work from (almost) Anywhere program was designed to provide the most flexibility and support possible to our employees and was rapidly green-lighted by our CEO and leadership team.

It would not have been possible without the vision and support of Sinead Condon, our Chief People Officer, who day in and day out shows commitment to elevating the employee experience in a wide range of new ways.

As Sinead has stated, “Layered against the backdrop of a hybrid-first workplace where teams and collaboration tools are set up for a virtual workforce, the ability to extend employees' global workplace flexibility to the location they are working from becomes that much more possible – and powerful. We will continue to reiterate on this model as we dream and create the workplace of the future.”

Guidewire employees have new options to work outside their employment country for up to 6 weeks every year – and after two years of service with the company are eligible for longer 3–5-month assignments. Guidewire’s focus on inclusivity for all employees translates into having the potential for an international experience – and offers both immigration and benefits support to employees and their families to make this a reality for all to consider.

We are thrilled to see employees embracing these new opportunities and are confident that their growth and sense of adventure will translate to a bright and innovative future for Guidewire and our customers as we navigate an ever-changing world.