The Way forward for How We Work Collectively at Roblox

At the moment I shared an replace with our workers about the way forward for how we work collectively at Roblox.

***

Pricey Roblox Workers,

At the moment we might be asking plenty of our distant workers to start working from our headquarters in San Mateo by subsequent summer season and transitioning away from distant work at Roblox. We didn’t make this determination calmly, as we perceive that the choice to maneuver is critical, each for our workers and for his or her households and family members. All distant workers will obtain an electronic mail throughout the subsequent hour with particulars in regards to the influence of this determination on the placement of their roles. 

I wish to clarify our rationale for this determination and supply extra particulars on logistics. I keep in mind clearly the beginning of the pandemic. I used to be planning a world journey and watched, day-to-day, because the chance of any kind of journey diminished. After all, the journey by no means occurred and Roblox transitioned to a totally distant workforce in March 2020. What we initially thought can be a couple of weeks became a couple of years, and I used to be impressed with how a lot we had been in a position to get completed underneath actually extraordinary circumstances.

Because the pandemic stretched on, a number of firms introduced that they might assist one hundred pc distant work for everybody, endlessly. Throughout this time we had quite a few deep discussions and we saved coming again to the notion that, in the end, Roblox is an innovation firm and we wanted to get again to working in particular person. We had been additionally involved about many cohorts, reminiscent of our new faculty graduates and other people early of their careers, who usually study via social contact and would miss out on this mentorship. And naturally this requires the presence of senior workers to offer that mentorship.

I personally hoped that for our tradition and our sort of labor, it could be attainable to think about a closely hybrid distant tradition. However there was a pivotal second for me after we had our first post-quarantine, in-person group gathering. Inside 45 minutes I got here away from three separate conversations with spontaneous to do’s and concepts to place in movement, one thing that hadn’t occurred through the previous few years of video conferences.

Now, practically a 12 months after most of us have returned to our headquarters in San Mateo, we’ve seen how a lot we are able to accomplish, how far we are able to push innovation, and the way being collectively strengthens our tradition. For many people, “Zoom fatigue” is actual. A 3-hour Group Overview in particular person is far much less exhausting than over video and brainstorming classes are extra fluid and artistic. Whereas I’m assured we’ll get to some extent the place digital workspaces are as partaking, collaborative, and productive as bodily areas, we aren’t there but.

That is a particularly tough determination as a result of the place we reside is a private selection and it impacts all facets of our lives. Now we have completed every thing we are able to to make this course of as systematic and truthful as attainable. Sadly, I do know that some workers will resolve to not be a part of us at headquarters. 

There might be some distant workers who are usually not requested to return, particularly 1) groups and roles which are required to be distant (e.g., information facilities, moderators, name facilities, and so forth.), and a couple of) people who’ve area of interest ability units or important institutional data (e.g., multi-disciplinary expertise, deep experience with Roblox programs, and so forth.). Right now, we is not going to be extending new gives to distant workers, past the exceptions outlined above. For the distant workers whom we’re asking to maneuver to in-office roles, we’ll present the choice to affix our three-day, in-office schedule (Tues.-Thurs.) or take a severance package deal. 

Our highest and most quick precedence is supporting our distant workers whom now we have requested to start working from our workplaces, no matter determination they make, and guaranteeing that our groups have what they should proceed to fulfill our aggressive targets for this 12 months and subsequent. For managers of distant workers who select to not transfer, I perceive the burden this may occasionally placed on you and your groups. 

Now we have put plans in place to ensure we’re supporting our groups and particular person workers. Right here’s a excessive degree overview of how this may work:

• Workers who’re requested to start working from the workplace can have three months, till January sixteenth, 2024, to make that call. 
• Workers who are usually not in a position to relocate can have a further three months, till April fifteenth, 2024, to transition out of their roles as full time workers. Workers will proceed to work throughout this time with no change to their compensation or vesting schedules. This implies all workers, no matter whether or not or not they selected to relocate, will obtain each the November and February quarterly vestings, along with every other vestings they’ve throughout that point.
• Workers who’re departing Roblox will obtain a severance package deal based mostly on their particular person degree and time period of service, together with six months of healthcare protection for everybody on their insurance policies.
• For workers who select to relocate, we’re asking them to start working from our San Mateo workplaces by July fifteenth 2024, and we’ll help with relocation prices.

Whereas we all know that is the suitable determination for Roblox, we acknowledge that it could create challenges for a few of our workers. No matter what our distant workers resolve, please know that we deeply respect the exhausting work and influence every of you has had at Roblox.

Dave