Flexibility is alive and well at Adobe

This week’s widespread debate over the pros and cons of telecommuting has created quite a bit of water cooler talk about implications for other companies and what it means here at Adobe. It’s been interesting reading the passionate points of view on both sides of the issue. I agree that working side-by-side yields huge benefits in terms of innovation, relationship building and speed. But I also think it’s important to offer employees and their managers flexibility to determine the working arrangements that work best for them and the business.

I get great energy from the constant interaction and spur of the moment brainstorming that happens in my open workspace. I recognize, though, that others do their best thinking in different ways. Telecommuting can be effective for some types of roles and not for others, and managers have preferences as well. It takes a whole different kind of management to engage a distributed team, including those who work remotely. I’d like to believe that at Adobe we build the capability of our managers so we can attract and retain the best people, no matter where they are located.

I recall a time when there was active debate on whether people could really be productive outside the office. Today, great advances in technology have clearly made that possible. Moreover, telecommuting has enabled us to manage our personal lives and the demands of a global business, and continue to reduce our carbon footprint.

At Adobe, there’s no one size fits all solution. We hire the best people and trust them to work when, how, and where makes the most sense for them and their teams. Simply put, we seek to create a company where people can do and be their best. I invite you to learn more about us by visiting our Adobe life blog.

— Donna