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Square Enix will now allow game developers to “work from home” permanently from next month


According to a recent press release, Final Fantasy publisher Square Enix is implementing a new and permanent work-from-home program from December 1, 2020.

Due to the ongoing global Covid-19 pandemic, 2020 has been a year in which pretty much the entire tech/IT and video games industry has been working from home. Many employees and workers have been working remotely as well.

The program will start on 1st December and Square Enix expects approximately 80% of its team to be home-based, which means working an average of at least 3 days per week from home. Office-based roles on the other hand, will depend on the work required, with the employee working an average of at least 3 days per week from the office.

According to Square Enix President and Representative Director Yosuke Matsuda, the company will “officially offer a permanent work-from-home program to all executive officers and employees as of December 1, 2020”.

The company not only wants the developers to stay healthy and safe during this ongoing COVID-19 crisis, but also aims to increase their efficiency and boost morale.

The additional options this program creates will also enable the Company to recruit more diverse human resources, as well as to establish an organization capable of adapting to unexpected developments such as disasters and changes in employment models.

Work-from-home Program will combine “home-based” and “office-based” models. Status changes will be allowed on a monthly basis depending upon the intensity of an employee’s duties and roles.

As the press release reads:

“Rather than utilizing work from home solely as a means of preventing infections during the current pandemic, the Company will establish it as a permanent and core program among the working styles it accommodates. In so doing, the Company hopes not only to create a flexible and diverse working environment, but also to further bolster productivity and help employees achieve the optimal work-life balance.

The Company had for some time been exploring options for enabling greater flexibility in working styles when the COVID-19 outbreak occurred. In response, the Company implemented a series of measures starting in February 2020 that included enabling work from home, staggered working hours, and online conferencing.

“Following a sustained period with these measures in place, the Company conducted a survey in June that demonstrated that roughly 80% of employees had a positive view of work from home.

The Company also carefully considered a wide range of opinions from businesses as diverse as games, publication, and music regarding the practicality of work from home. This program was finalized based on those considerations.”

Stay tuned for more!