Flexible Work Stories: Talented new hire says flexible work brought him to Altria

Meet Alex Hooker. ?

Alex joined Altria in January 2022 as a Manager for Underage Prevention and Cessation Support. In his role, he manages a grant portfolio of positive youth development programs focused on the healthy development of youth ages 12-18. ?

Alex is one of many employees that has embraced our flexible work approach, in fact, this benefit led him to applying at Altria. Read Alex's story below to learn how our employees are embracing flexible work. ?

How are you implementing flexible working? ?

?“Prior to 2020, this role would have required relocating to Richmond, Virginia, but I’m doing it fully remote from Asheville, N.C. My wife and I built a house here during the pandemic with a separate office suite on the top floor. I drop off my kids at school and then come up to my headquarters of one, looking out over the Blue Ridge Mountains.”

How does flexible working at Altria compare to flexible work at your previous job? ?

“My prior job was with a large family foundation where I managed positive youth development strategies that were similar to Altria’s Success360° approach. ?

When COVID hit, the foundation struggled with the transition to a fully remote staff. We had the technology to stay connected with each other but had trouble maintaining the positive work culture that comes with seeing colleagues in person. We were lucky to have been fully staffed at the time and fortunate that everyone knew each other before we went remote. ??

Joining Altria as a new, fully remote employee was easy, because Altria fully embraces remote culture, and we have the experience and savviness to be able to do it right. I feel supported as a remote employee because my manager, my teammates and our leadership are on board and have made this a priority by creating an inclusive culture around it. ?

I was considering other job opportunities when I applied to Altria and found there was limited flexibility at most of these companies. Some said the job was “remote” when they really meant working a couple days a week from home at the discretion of your supervisor.”

“Altria’s intentionality in embracing remote work is what attracts high-quality talent who are not currently interested in relocating. That’s a competitive advantage.”

How do you get the work done? ?

“For starters, it helps that my supervisor was in the process of relocating and working fully remote even before COVID. She has learned effective ways to get her work done remotely while continuing to support team culture and has incorporated this wisdom into her own management style. We focus on job goals and deliverables, giving me flexibility around time management and approach. ?

Technology plays an important role in getting the work done, as I’m less than a second away from all my colleagues through a Microsoft Teams chat. We’re constantly bouncing ideas around on the platform, a thumbs up on a chat is so much easier and quicker than responding to an email to convey the same reaction. ?

We also have a strong team culture. I’ve been amazed at how inclusive, supportive and welcoming the larger team has been. The Corporate Citizenship team has about 35 to 40 people, and I feel like I can reach out to any of them at any time. I spent most of my career in nonprofits where I expected that kind of inclusive culture. But I have found it, even more so, at Altria in the Corporate Citizenship team.”?

What is the big-picture benefit of this approach? ?

“Altria has created a competitive advantage for attracting top talent by embracing “remote from the start” positions. I didn’t have to pull my wife and kids from school, friends and family to move to a city where we don’t have existing support networks. Instead, I can maintain our family’s lifestyle and be a part of this incredible line of work. That’s the big benefit for me."