Thank You: The Unique Ways My Employer is Excelling Right Now.

Oh, the luxuries we overlooked!

Reflecting on a time when everything was available and we didn't know how lucky we were, I got to wondering: do we appreciate enough in the here and now? Gratitude tends to be so retrospective that rarely do we stop and say 'I appreciate you, right here and now, for what you're doing currently'.

So, during these unprecedented times, this is a well-deserved thank you to my employers, Studio Gobo and Electric Square. Working tirelessly to bring us together at a time when we're the furthest apart. Right here, right now.

In the face of adversity, what are the unique ways these two games studios are continuing to keep staff buoyant, valued and driven?

Mental and Physical Wellness

The moment it was declared we would be going into 100% work from home mode, we were given the chance to get our PCs, desks, work chairs delivered right to our door. If there were any other comfort aids we need, just ask! (Special shout out to our brilliant IT teams for making that transition so smooth).

The team was also reminded that everybody is entitled to ￡50 per month as a Health and Wellbeing benefit and we can spend that on anything that we see fit. There is a broad range covered here from supplements and vitamins, to hobbies/crafts or home exercise apparatus, such as yoga mats, resistance bands or weights. Our healthcare benefit was also highlighted, as it covers up to 10 mental health sessions per individual.

Mental health week was acknowledged with a reminder that we have an Employee Assistance Programme and the names and details of our various mental health first aiders made available. We were given a series of mental health-related sessions and webinars that we could take part in for free.

Electric Square started working with Mind, and on their first assessment achieved a bronze award for 'achieving change'! The company looks forward to continuing this collaboration and working towards gold status <3

Social Responsibility

Our teams have always shown great motivation in our social responsibilities, and the company has clearly seen this time as an opportunity to go above and beyond to give back to our communities. The teams have put locally sourced goodies and care packages together for NHS workers at the Royal Sussex Hospital, Together Co., YMCA Downslink Group and the Clock Tower Sanctuary.

We announced a new VTO (Volunteer Time Off) benefit for all staff, now enabling everybody to dedicate one fully paid working day per year to volunteer time to a non-profit charity of their choosing, whichever is closest to their heart.

Developing Minds is a brand new collaborative initiative with volunteers from our studios, unified in our commitment to support the next generation of games industry talent from primary school students to adults, providing them with mentorship and useful material to support individuals in becoming experts within their field in the games industry. Watch this space!

Our staff have also been brilliant in continuing their commitments to support our partner charities, Rockinghorse Children's Charity and Special Effect.

Games and Competitions

We have been spoilt with activities and games to keep us socialising and interacting with one another. The team has been really creative in varying these activities to appeal to everybody at one point or another. This includes company-wide bingo, quizzes, Zoom sessions with our own PT (every lunchtime!), virtual show and tell meetings, mid-week lunch chin wags, 'guess the employee' baby pic competitions, Origami competitions, a self-portrait challenge, loo roll art, a cooking challenge, 'random acts of kindness'... The list goes on!

We even each received a surprise bottle of organic fizz each which we had to save and drink during the virtual launch party for Forza Street... Available now on iOS and Android ;)

Traditions & Thoughtful Gestures

We're a greedy bunch and a super popular perk we relish here is enjoying food and drink together. This could be tricky given the current climate, but we're not about to let a bit of social distance get in the way of sacred traditions. Even during a pandemic, Studio Gobo staff still receive those world-famous Friday free lunches, contactlessly delivered to our doors :)

Through WhatsApp and social media channels, we still get our (important) pictorial and video doses of the studio dogs and how they're doing.

There is a new (and very welcome) addition of organic fruit and veg boxes dropped off to us every fortnight.

Missing raiding the studio beer fridge on a Friday afternoon? No problem, the studios have us covered with regular supplies dropped off by our friendly local brewery.

The list really does go on!

I've always believed that a good company, like a good friend, is naturally dedicated to providing a platform from which to elevate people and empower them to feel invaluable and be the very best version of themselves.

We have all been wowed and made to feel invaluable by the companies' continued investment in our happiness and wellbeing. So I'm sure I speak for many people when I say a huge 'thank you Studio Gobo and Electric Square'. You're doing great!

Thanks for reading :)