While some companies are making work from anywhere (WFA) an option, Yodo1 has spent the last two years gearing up to go all the way. On December 1st, 2020, we will complete our transition to fully remote by closing the doors of our Beijing office and opening our company to an environment free of traditional work boundaries.
Given its intrinsically global nature, we believe the marriage of remote work and the gaming business is a perfect match. To advance our mission of helping developers around the world turn their games into scalable businesses, we’re building a completely distributed workforce and looking for the best talent available regardless of location.
“I see Yodo1 evolving toward a company where teams can be fluid. The talent we need to fulfill our goals is not concentrated in one place,” – Henry Fong, Co-founder & CEO
The switch to remote work is also an opportunity for us to put more control in the hands of our employees, as we create versatile, cross-continental teams to serve our partners’ needs in every timezone.
“We trust our employees to make the right decisions for the company and themselves. Our culture of transparency and autonomy empowers and incentivizes our teams, which in turn helps us better serve our partners,” – James LaLonde, co-founder & chief revenue officer at Yodo1.
I see Yodo1 evolving toward a company where teams can be fluid. The talent we need to fulfill our goals is not concentrated in one place.
Henry Fong
Catalyst for change
COVID-19 was an obvious catalyst. At the start of the pandemic, with both co-founders and half of the core management team stuck outside of China, we quickly experimented with a mobile work framework to keep our company running smoothly.
By March, our entire staff – already scattered across the globe – was set up on an all-in-one business communication platform.
As China began reopening, we made coming to the office optional. Occupancy has since been well under 30 percent.
At the same time we’ve expanded our gaming services platform and grown the size of the teams significantly: doubling our revenue, remotely hiring several dozen new team members, strengthening our online presence, and launching two courses for the new Yodo1 Education platform.
“When I first heard of the switch to fully remote, I was excited that I could work anywhere. I took the plunge and left Beijing to relocate to my hometown of Shanghai. Honestly, I was also a little concerned that it would really work. Initially, it was a challenge but I’ve found that we’ve actually become more efficient,” – Sun Ke, head of publishing at Yodo1.
Three-Step Plan
To make the transition as smooth as possible, we have spent this year constructing a plan that puts employee safety and comfort first. It covers three main areas.
1. Helping employees set up their Work-From-Anywhere workspaces
We’ve made sure that everyone on the Yodo1 team is receiving ample allowance for home office equipment so they can create a work-from-anywhere setup that works for them.
“My favorite thing is not having to wake up super early in the morning and commute to the office. Those hours are mine now. My least favorite part is not seeing my coworkers in person. But I talk to them on a daily basis, as friends,” – Chaula Bherti, monetisation strategist at Yodo1.
Yodo1 will no longer be in the business of owning and maintaining equipment; instead, employees will use their home office allowance to buy, own, and care for their own equipment.
2. Keeping our people connected
We’re a gaming company, and we want our employees to have fun. At the office, Yodo1 hosted and sponsored several social gatherings – a favorite being Pitch Club, a hub to help people in and out of the company practice and improve their pitching skills.
This weekly event has always been open to anyone, but before COVID-19 it was limited to those in Beijing. When the coronavirus forced us to take the event online, Pitch Club grew and opened its doors to anyone, anywhere.
Internally, our team managers host virtual happy hours and group get-togethers to keep members connected on a human level.
Communicating well has always been an essential element of working at Yodo1 and it’s one of our strengths. Now we are taking that to the next level,” – Sonali Varma, Publishing Manager at Yodo1.
“When you’re remote, you have to make a bigger effort, both as a team manager and as a team member, to build connections through a camera. It’s possible, but it requires effort. In our case, from our learning corner on Monday to happy hour on Friday, we have some time almost every day where the whole team talks and connects. I also initiate a lot of one-on-one communication with my team,” – Marina Espin, head of business development, Yodo1.
Communicating well has always been an essential element of working at Yodo1 and it’s one of our strengths. Now we are taking that to the next level.
Sonali Varma
3. Giving our people more control
Last but not least, we are using this opportunity to put more control in the hands of our employees by removing the red tape and rules that are associated with traditional workplaces.
Yodo1’s remote employees can take full advantage of our new work culture and take as many days off they like, as long as they fulfill their work obligations. We are removing all limits on vacation time.
Our people will own their equipment, their schedule, and their decisions.
“Though I was sad at the thought of not meeting my new colleagues in person, I was immediately excited by the opportunities of working from anywhere. Right now I’m in Hainan, a tropical island where the weather is amazing and I can go surfing on the weekend. And I look forward to eventually being able to spend part of the year in my home country, Italy.” – Filippo Armani, business development manager, Yodo1
What’s next?
As the gaming industry continues its fast-paced growth, Yodo1 sees a future with remote teams spread across the globe, fulfilling our corporate mission of helping game development studios of all shapes and sizes achieve success in local and global markets.
And Yodo1 is hiring! We need new business development associates to help us get products such as our Managed Ad Services across the world. For remote job opportunities in the fast-growing game industry, check out our Careers and Education pages.
“I believe it’s a blessing that the gaming industry can afford to go remote and that we can work with the same efficiency from anywhere in the world,” – Redwan Reyadh, monetisation strategist, Yodo1
About Yodo1
Yodo1 is a game platform company that helps developers better market, manage, and monetize their games. Our AI-powered tools and global expertise in areas such as mobile advertising, community management, and digital IP licensing enable partners to increase playtime, revenue, and retention. Our vision is to open the world of gaming success to anyone with the talent to develop. To learn more, visit www.yodo1.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
