In a bold move to accelerate growth and challenge industry giants like Apple, British smartphone startup Nothing is ending its remote work policy and requiring all employees to return to the office full-time. CEO Carl Pei announced the shift in a detailed email to the company’s 450 employees, emphasizing the need for in-person collaboration to achieve the company’s ambitious goals.
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 team.
—————
We’ve come a long way in a short space of time. We are the only company to have established a smartphone business in the last…
— Carl Pei (@getpeid) August 19, 2024
Founded four years ago with a remote-first approach, Nothing has quickly risen in the smartphone industry, becoming the fastest-growing smartphone brand in India with a year-over-year growth rate of 567%. Despite this success, Pei believes the company has only scratched the surface of its potential, currently operating at just 0.1% of what it could achieve.
“We’ve come a long way in a short space of time. We are the only company to have established a smartphone business in the last 10 years. Yet, we are at 0.1% of our potential,” Pei wrote in his email. “With the solid start we’ve made, we really have the chance to create a generational tech company that can change the world. This is an incredibly exciting opportunity that we’ve earned together, and now it’s time to double down.”
Pei outlined three key reasons for the return to office: the need for close collaboration in the production of physical goods, the goal of becoming a generation-defining tech company, and the importance of maintaining high speed and ambition in a competitive market.
“First of all, we make physical products where design, engineering, manufacturing, and quality have to collaborate closely together to deliver products to our users. This does not work well remotely,” Pei stated. He also emphasized that the company’s high ambition level and speed are not compatible with remote work.
The mandate will take effect in two months, giving employees time to adjust. Pei also plans to host a town hall in London to address any concerns from staff members. In his email, he acknowledged that the new setup may not suit everyone and suggested that those unable to commit to the full-time office schedule should consider finding alternative employment.
“We know it’s not the right type of setup for everybody, and that’s okay. We should look for a mutual fit. You should find an environment where you thrive, and we need to find people who want to go the full mile with us in the decades ahead,” Pei concluded.
The decision reflects Pei’s determination to push Nothing towards becoming a dominant force in the tech industry, capable of competing with established players on a global scale.
