Nokia today announced that it is strengthening its flexible working practices from 1 January 2022 following the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2020, Nokia had approximately 92,000 employees in 130 countries.

The updated guidelines, which apply to all Nokia employees, will provide flexibility for employees to work up to three days a week remotely, as well as increased support for flexible working hours and fully virtual working.

Nokia said its existing COVID-19 work from home policy remains in effect globally until the end of 2021.

Nokia also plans to rethink and redesign office spaces to reflect post-COVID working arrangements and support collaboration. Many sites will see up to 70 percent of office space allocated to teamwork and meetings, with less space reserved for concentrative workspaces.

Nokia said some pilot sites, including offices in Dallas, Singapore and Budapest, have already been reconfigured in 2021, with further sites expected to be completed by the end of the year.

By the end of 2021, Nokia also plans to launch a smart office solution, allowing employees to book workspaces and office amenities, as well as toolkits and guides aimed at helping people managers and teams to establish better, more flexible and sustainable working models.

“The pandemic forced organizations to change. Technology gave people the tools to innovate. In many cases, the results have been too good to go back to the old way of doing things,” said Pekka Lundmark, President and CEO of Nokia.

The vast majority of Nokia’s employees have worked remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the company’s existing COVID-19 work from home policy remains in effect globally until the end of 2021.