Dropbox

Dropbox has always had amazing benefits and a stellar work-life balance. The company culture never felt political, and my experience with my coworkers was always positive. The code can be a bit dated in places, but that's the case for any long-lived product company. Overall, I have enjoyed my time at Dropbox, and I have loved the people I work with. Three days ago, I would have given Dropbox 5 stars.

The new "Virtual First" policy Dropbox committed to in mid-Oct 2020 throws all of that away. Starting in 2021, Dropbox's global workforce is being forced to switch to remote work.

No more in-office perks, no more personal desks, no more seeing and interacting with your coworkers and friends in person. Offices (now called "Studios") are off-limits unless you have an in-person meeting.

It's no longer time for temporary COVID WFH; starting 2021, it will instead be required WFH.

Sure, if you like WFH or are already a full-time remote employee, then Dropbox is a great option for you! But if you can't wait to get back into the swing of things, see your coworkers again, grab lunch with your friends, and collaborate in person, then avoid Dropbox like the plague.

A hybrid model would have been great, but forcing the entire global workforce to work remotely is a step too far.