WFH Ends: Nothing CEO Carl Pei Ends Remote Work Policy

In an effort to grow further, British startup Nothing is bringing its staff back to work full-time. After establishing the firm in 2020, CEO Carl Pei earlier championed remote work. However, he is now mandating that all 450 employees work on-site five days a week.

Pei explained the decision in a detailed email, where he criticised remote work and outlined the reasons for this significant change. Sharing the email on X (formerly Twitter), Carl Pei stated, “Last Friday, we made an important decision to work 5 days a week in-office in London. This is the email I sent to everyone on the @nothing (sic) team.”

https://x.com/getpeid/status/ 1825451734442922202

He praised the firm’s swift growth, pointing out that it was the sole contemporary smartphone company to be founded in the previous ten years and it was the most profitable smartphone business in India, with a remarkable 567% year-over-year growth.

Even with these achievements, Pei feels the company is only operating at “0.1% of our potential.”

Carl Pei outlined three main justifications for going back to a traditional office setting: the desire to become a tech company that defines a generation, the necessity of close collaboration in the development of physical products and the significance of innovative thinking and creativity in maintaining competitiveness against bigger enterprises.

He emphasised that their line of work—designing and producing physical goods—requires a degree of teamwork that is difficult to accomplish from a distance.

Moreover, face-to-face interactions are more appropriate for the rapid decision-making and problem-solving that are necessary for their lofty goals.

Carl Pei assuaged workers’ possible concerns regarding flexibility by telling them that the company believes they are capable of effectively organising their time and that occasional requirements to work outside of the office may be accommodated.

The return to the office is scheduled to take place in two months. Pei recommended individuals who are dissatisfied with this schedule seek other opportunities in which they can thrive remotely as Nothing is looking for individuals “who want to go the full mile with us in the decades ahead.”

The CEO plans to host a town hall in London to address enquiries from the employees.