MongoDB just opened a hybrid Philly office for its local employees

NoSQL database company MongoDB has decided to put down some Philly roots for its local employees as it reenters a hybrid work model. The company officially opened a space at Convene CityView on 17th near Ludlow Street on April 25, following a goal of finding a space accessible to public transit, hotels and restaurants.

The company did so because a site leader expressed interest in reopening an office, and local employees showed enough interest to move forward, said Ben Wolfson, the company’s US media relations manager.

While he didn’t confirm how many employees the company has in the Philadelphia office who “may” want to use it, the company’s #Philadelphia Slack channel has about three dozen employees, he said. The space at Convene is fit for a dozen people at a time, he said, and some local employees may chose to commute to the company’s New York City office at times.

“MongoDB has adopted a hybrid working model around the world. This means that while we recognize that employees may not want or need to be in the office 5 days a week, we are not going to be a ‘remote first’ company either,” the company said in a statement. “In-person human interaction is essential for our culture — it helps build stronger relationships, facilitates deeper connection to the company’s mission and goals, and improves collaboration, mentorship, and development.”

The hybrid model allows the company to balance the needs of the business with the flexibility and options that many employees want these days. MongoDB currently has more than 3,600 employees across a dozen North American offices and nearly 30 other offices across the world.

Wolfson said all of the company’s offices will be considered hybrid moving forward, and will operate on three different working statuses: All in-office employees are in three to five times a week, flexible employees are in one to two days a week, and fully remote employees will remain as such. The company emphasizes that those working classifications are suggestions and all MongoDB employees who are unable or uncomfortable coming into an office do not need to do so.