It seems everyone has a different idea of what the word casual means and how it applies to us here at Watershed. Do we mean work environment? Clothing? Work time? To be honest, it’s a bunch of different things all rolled into one “super” philosophy, if you will. So, let’s break it down...what do we mean when we say we’re casual?
The easiest part of our casualness for people to grok is casual dress. We want our people to show up in clothes they like, that make them feel comfortable, and are true to who they are.
For some people, that’s shorts and a t-shirt. For others, it’s low-key athleisure. We’ve also got a few tried-and-true button-down fans and an employee with a rather impressive sneaker collection.
We aren’t concerned with what you wear. All we ask is that you show up every day, give us your best work, and share details on your Outfit of the Day, should we want to start a Twin Day tradition.
Recommended Reading
A casual office goes beyond the clothes.
But our laid-back environment extends way past our wardrobe. We’ve built our office to provide our people with several options when it comes to where and how they work—which include co-working spaces, individual offices, meeting rooms, and even an outdoor laptop bar.
Individual offices have glass doors, which are usually only closed when in “heads down” mode and/or jamming out to some righteous tunes.
Having a less rigid working environment allows team members to collaborate more often, whether that’s on a project or recapping a tv show from the night before. We’ve also opened our doors to include some very special employees: the Watershed pets.
From time to time, you’ll see a four-legged friend wandering the halls, usually looking for snacks that I keep on my desk for these types of occasions.
Recommended Reading
What about flexible office schedules? Yep.
Our employees also are able to enjoy flexible work schedules. We don’t believe our people have to spend 40 hours sitting (or standing) at their desks every week to do amazing work.
Sometimes, a coworker decides stay home one day to dedicate eight hours of intense focus that’s free of the lure of snacks and ping pong—and that suits us just fine. All we ask is that every week our people give us 40 hours they are proud of.
We truly believe that an office free from old-fashioned restrictions leads to higher productivity, increased retention rates, and decreased stress levels. And what’s not to like about that?
About the author
Jena Garrett is an expert in talent management, recruiting, onboarding, and creating cultures that make organizations and their people better.
Subscribe to our blog
