Ambition is synonymous with New York City.
The real challenge? Feeding those ambitions — literally.
New York City’s comptroller reported that in 2020 there were 23,650 restaurants in the city. That means that if you ate at one a day, you wouldn’t return to the same location for over 64 years.
New Yorkers know food, and more than a few have strong opinions about the perfect balance it takes to create NYC classics. Take the New York slice. It has to be thin but can still fold in half, not too much sauce or cheese and the perfect amount of chewiness in the crust.
The NYC staple of a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich has a million iterations and opinions about what makes the perfectly balanced, foil-wrapped, gooey goodness an ideal breakfast.
Finding that balance is what makes a New York slice or sandwich truly perfect. Balance is also what makes a hybrid work model truly successful.
At NYC tech company Regal, flexibility and collaboration are key to its hybrid work model. Built In spoke with Director of People Operations Arielle Rawding to learn more.
Regal.io makes an outbound phone and SMS sales solution.
What did different stages of hybrid work look like at Regal? What is your current hybrid work setup?
From the beginning, Regal recognized the importance of in-person collaboration while equally appreciating flexibility. Even as a small team, we operated out of various co-working spaces, gradually expanding until we moved into our current home in February 2023.
Today, our hiring is centered in NYC with employees in the office from Tuesday to Thursday and the option to work from home or in the office on Mondays and Fridays. This setup supports effective remote work while continuing to strengthen interpersonal relationships.
What is one lesson you have learned since the start of your hybrid work setup?
A key lesson we’ve learned is the importance of intentional communication. As a company scales, it’s easy for information or decisions to become siloed. To address this, we’ve implemented clear and consistent communication and feedback loops across the organization, through training, monthly all-hands meetings, team meetings, off-sites, engagement surveys and more.
We also prioritize cross-functional visibility on our go-to-market activities, weekly wins and other key developments, ensuring the entire team stays aligned with common company goals and understands their contributions.
Regal’s Hybrid Perks
- Commuter benefits
- Company-sponsored outings
- Free daily meals
- Company-sponsored happy hours
- Some meals provided
- Paid holidays
- Paid sick days
- Flexible time off
- Bereavement leave benefits
What do you think is the secret behind Regal’s success when it comes to hybrid work?
The key to our hybrid work success is our ability to balance flexibility with collaboration. Employees benefit from in-person interactions on our designated office days, while still enjoying the option to work remotely two days a week, maintaining strong connections without sacrificing flexibility. Having everyone in the office on the same days of the week strengthens our team bonds and encourages spontaneous collaboration.
Additionally, we continue to invest heavily in our office environment, ensuring that time spent in the office is both productive and enjoyable. This approach creates a great blend of opportunities for communication and heads-down time.
