DONTNOD employees based in both Paris and Montreal are now able to choose between working from home and working in an office environment. This is a permanent system which will continue beyond the current pandemic, with the aim of bettering work-life balance and providing more flexibility in work organization.
As a human-oriented company, it was the obvious choice to accelerate the implementation of the Fully Remote Organization (FROG) scheme, initially conceptualized before the health crisis began. A referendum was held internally in October 2020 to gather feedback on FROG, which was favored by 87% of DONTNODians. Keeping a social link is essential in times of extended teleworking and remains a real challenge today for a studio of more than 250 employees. The well-being of our employees is and has always been paramount, and FROG empowers all team members to work in the best possible conditions for them, according to their lifestyles and ways of working.
“Our teams have shown extraordinary resilience during this period and I would like to thank them for their hard work, dedication and adaptability, which have enabled DONTNOD to continue to evolve, and to ensure the successful release of two games in 2020, Tell Me Why and Twin Mirror. The well-being and health of every DONTNODian is a priority and the FROG program is designed with this in mind. We know that everyone has different needs and different ways of functioning and that is why we wanted to create a program that would give everyone the freedom to choose how they want to organize their day-to-day lives. FROG should allow our talents to grow in their professional and personal lives.", says Oskar Guilbert, CEO of DONTNOD.
Employees can choose between Remote Mode and Office Mode, with the option to revise their decision at a later stage. Remote Mode lets staff work from the comfort of their own homes with all the equipment and furniture they need — such as chairs, desks, peripherals, and more — all provided by DONTNOD. They can choose to visit the office regularly and use dedicated “flex” desks. Office Mode entails working from the premises with a dedicated setup and desk and comes with a package of days of remote working per year. Each mode provides employees with great flexibility and the opportunity for safe socialization, in turn bolstering team morale, creativity, and productivity.
"During the crisis, we had to quickly adapt our work processes and communication tools to ensure efficient organization and continued connection for all our employees. Although some thought had been given prior to the health crisis, we realized that working from home is a work mode that is more suitable for some people, as it offers a work-life balance adapted to their needs. So, we designed the FROG program to offer the best working conditions, regardless of the preferred mode. In addition, this program will allow us to expand our recruitment to all of France and Quebec to find new talent.", explains Matthieu Hoffmann, HR Director at DONTNOD.
This improved working organization means that the talent pool has widened and diversified substantially. Colleagues are now able to live and work from anywhere in France with the Paris office, or anywhere in Quebec with the Montreal office, with the same conditions and benefits as any employee. We are thrilled to be able to expand recruitment and welcome the best of the best to DONTNOD.
“The flexibility gained with the FROG program allows us rapid response to changing expectations and circumstances, which affects employees both in their personal and working lives. It is at the heart of the working culture we intended to foster within the Montreal studio, and a core part of what we want to offer to our employees.”, said Frédérique Fourny-Jennings, Managing Director at DONTNOD Montreal.
New offices in Paris & Montreal
Relocation of the Paris office is now complete and has been specifically renovated with space and adaptable working conditions in mind to adhere to changing health and safety recommendations as the pandemic progresses, with features such as flex desks, ‘bubbles’ — to isolate and concentrate or for meetings of two to four people — connected meeting rooms, acoustic improvements, adaptive lighting, the ability for teams to change the layout of open spaces to gather — or separate — if needed etc.
Located in the 19th district of Paris, in the Parc Icade du Pont de Flandre, the new office boasts on-site green spaces, a fitness center, restaurants, a dedicated Happiness Manager, and more. In the same way, places of conviviality, entertainment and relaxation, will allow all employees to evolve in spaces conducive to well-being and exchange.
With a dedicated workspace within Fabrik8, DONTNOD Montreal is settled in the heart of the Mile-Ex neighborhood. All employees can enjoy working in a vibrant and inspiring environment that offers many shared facilities and perks, such as an ice rink, which in the summer months becomes a soccer field and basketball court as well as a huge gym, a ping-pong area, and a cafeteria that serves gourmet, healthy meals.
In order to continue to ensure the safety and health of all, only a limited number of DONTNODians are currently able to visit the offices at one time. A voluntary gradual return to the workplace is underway and will be adjusted as the crisis evolves.