Unlocking Success: How Workplace Flexibility Powers appcycle!
How much do you like your workplace situation? Do you sit in a cubicle all day? Perhaps your workplace is too cluttered and stressful?
Although you probably know appcycle as an environmentally sustainable company because of our efforts to make apple leather, we believe in other ways of being sustainable too! One of our company’s primary missions is to create a diverse and flexible workplace – in short, one that is socially sustainable. We believe that the wellbeing of our employees and the people we work with should also be sustainable, meaning that everyone can work together happily for a long time.
In line with our mission, workplace flexibility and diversity are part of our core values. Learn more about why this is important for us below!
Better Work-Life Balance
Start-ups can be busy and appcycle is no exception. Our CEO has multiple meetings to attend throughout the day, sometimes in different places. Meanwhile, some of our employees only work part-time or pro-bono and cannot travel too far for work.
By having a flexible and remote set-up, any one of our members can work anywhere and make choices for their career that suits them! There is no longer any need to worry about uncomfortable offices or long commutes that take up most of the day. This not only makes it easier for everyone to work how they want, it is also healthier for our employees’ mental health and wellbeing.
Increased diversity
A flexible workplace also means more diversity. We at appcycle aim to be a place where anyone, regardless of nationality or ethnicity, can contribute to a sustainable future.
We are able to do this by not only allowing all our employees to work remotely, but also actively hiring members from all sorts of backgrounds. To date, we’ve had over 5 nationalities work for us as interns and we continue to have employees from all over Japan.
Challenges
As with any change, even positive ones, adapting a flexible work culture comes with its fair share of challenges.
Firstly, the transition to a hybrid or remote style of work can take time as it requires finding an appropriate online platform for communication, preparation for using the platforms, and time to get everyone at a level where working from home is efficient. It can also be a challenge if employees do not have a suitable environment for working remotely. Data and internet issues can also be a challenge.
Luckily, there are many solutions to these issues. A designated period for learning to use communication platforms and training is often enough to get everyone on the same page. Additionally, employees may opt to work remotely from places other than home like co-working spaces, cafes, or even in a hybrid format with half of their work done at the office.
Another challenge that can come up in a workplace such as appcycle is communication. The main language of the company is Japanese, but our international staff aren’t always perfectly fluent in the language. This isn’t an issue however because we have a few Japanese members who can speak English and as long as everyone takes the challenge of speaking in Japanese or in English, we are able to communicate our thoughts.
Conclusion
As a company that values sustainability, we want people to know that a sustainable world also means sustainable workplaces. By having a work culture that allows employees flexibility, we are trying to foster an environment where they are also excited to work.
Want to know more about our company? Read this article where we talk about our mission and vision. You can also learn more about us by reading the other articles on this website or following our official Instagram page.
