Olark Handbook
Coworking/Co-living Support
What’s our Policy?
We offer a stipend up to $500 a month for Olarkers to use towards a coworking space or a co-living program. Part of the joy of working remotely can be working from new places. No need to stay in your home office the whole year (unless you want to, in which case we’re in full support!).
The Why:
We are a fully remote company, and we have always been remote-first. Back when we did have a few offices, they were mostly used for hangouts and lunches :) We live (and love) our remote focus. As part of this, we know a huge advantage to working remotely is being able to travel, move, try out international programs, and in general have the freedom to live your life in a way that best fits your needs. It’s a part of us #helping each other grow. Go enjoy the world!
In a Nutshell:
If you are interested in a coworking space, or in a co-living program, work with People Ops on the contract, any setup fees, etc. Olark will reimburse you up to $500 a month for use of a coworking space or co-living program.
Note: Co-living programs require a lot more setup and guidance than coworking, so please involve People Ops as early in the process as possible to ensure there is time to help you. But don’t be shy, we’re excited to help you #make it happen if it sounds right for you!
The Details:
Coworking
If you are interested in coworking, let your manager and People Ops know. A coworking space is relatively simple: we’ll reimburse you up to $500 a month! Anything beyond that amount will be your responsibility. We also don’t pay for setup fees or office leases. In most cities, this should get you a pretty sweet coworking situation if you shop around.
Co-living
Co-living programs often require travel and time, so they’re a bit more complicated to set up. Please reach out to your manager and People Ops as soon as you start to consider a program. We also have recommendations of prior programs that worked really well!
Part of the process for co-living is to work with your manager and People Ops on expectations and other considerations. Some examples include:
- time zone changes
- workload
- security while traveling
- visa and tax laws
In general, we want you to have a successful co-living situation while working full time. But logistics can be challenging, so it’s super important that you work with People Ops to make sure you’re all set before you leave. The last thing we want is for you to be stressed or have an un-fun surprise when you get there.
Once you’ve found a good program and logistics are set, Olark will reimburse you up to $500 a month for the program. Most programs are anywhere from 1-6 months. Can’t wait to hear about your next big adventure!