Pros
Management is great about boundaries around your personal life. Several times, senior executives would call out other executives for logging in while on vacation/parental leave/etc for logging in to do work as a way to take the pressure off those downstream. SWZD was work from anywhere before the pandemic, so they have it figured out. Technology package provided by company (mac or pc, monitors, peripherals, etc) along with a stipend for setting up a home office - even if you already have everything. More companies need to copy SWZD's culture to successfully implement a work-from-anywhere or hybrid work environment. They have a "camera on/mic off" policy for large meeting, so I could see that many people were working from their back patio, poolside or other non-home office locations. Plenty of opportunities to get face-time with the CEO, Division VPs & Department heads through virtual "coffee breaks" where they would send Starbucks gift cards, etc to buy you lunch. Weekly 1 to 1 with direct managers along with weekly immediate team meetings meant that you got to know your co-workers and cared about them as people. We used Slack as an instant messenger during the day to ask questions and stay connected with specific streams for project stakeholders and separate streams for silly things like pet pictures and recipes. Their efforts combated the #1 complaint from people who are in love with the office. Other than the monthly town halls, I never had a meeting last longer than 30m (town halls were 45m) and SWZD was really great about not forcing people into useless meeting that made you push your work off into your personal after hours time.
Cons
The bulk of business is done during 9-5 Central US so the bulk of meetings might interfere with lunch, etc. SWZD has divisions in India & England, so the work never stops and it's easy to overwork yourself, thinking it's expected. This is probably why the company stresses the importance of disconnecting and not checking emails after hours.
