Smart Working Contribution

At SparkFabrik, we care about our employees and their well-being. That's why we've established the Smart Working Contribution, a benefit initiative that allows our team members to improve their working conditions by purchasing tools, items, or services that are not already provided by the company.
This benefit includes a wide range of eligible items, such as video conferencing accessories, storage units, connectivity devices, office chairs, and special peripherals or accessories. Additionally, employees can request licenses for software or services they prefer to use in their daily work.

Why

We understand the importance of having the right tools to work effectively in a remote environment. We also know that for remote workers, what's "right" depends on a wider range of factors compared to office work. For example, somebody may require a noise-canceling headset to make their calls clearer for clients and colleagues, while others may benefit from a specific console switch to use their own display and peripherals due to limited space at home.

Our benefit initiative enables our employees to purchase the tools and equipment they need to work comfortably and efficiently from home, simplifying the procurement process so that our employees can focus on the more enjoyable aspects of their work, rather than dealing with administrative tasks or waiting for long approval processes.

Thus, by providing this benefit, we hope to increase productivity and enhance work-life balance, while also giving our employees the freedom to choose tools that fit their individual needs and preferences.

How it works

The Smart Working Contribution have a yearly limit, which is increased for the first year. Employees can purchase eligible items on their own without prior approval and request reimbursement. Each eligible item purchased during the year will be reimbursed up to the total yearly limit.

Reimbursement happens cumulatively twice a year (in June and December), provided the employee still works at SparkFabrik.
The process is straightforward and easy to follow. Here's an example of how it works:

1. An employee decides they need an item to improve their work-from-home setup, such as a headset for video conferencing.
2. The employee checks if the item is covered under the Smart Working Contribution policy.
3. If the item is covered, the employee purchases the item using their own funds, wherever they prefer.
4. During May or November (whichever comes first), the employee submits a reimbursement request along with a receipt of the purchase to our procurement department.
5. The reimbursement will be issued in the next reimbursement cycle, without approval, and up to the reimbursement limit.

It's that simple! This process ensures that our employees have the tools they need to work effectively from home while streamlining the procurement process, so employees can focus on the fun stuff and spend less time on bureaucracy.

Of course, the purchased item remains the property of the employee and should only be used for work purposes. That's the perk!

Details about the yearly limits, how to file a reimbursement request and so on, are available as a complete policy in the internal knowledge-base.