Tag: Work From Anywhere

A Conversation With Spotify’s New Chief HR Officer, Anna Lundström

May 14, 2025

At Spotify, we believe that our incredible bandmates (that’s what we call our team) are the driving force behind our success. Longtime Spotifier Anna Lundström, recently named our Chief HR Officer, aims to build upon a strong legacy of employee experience.

Anna oversees all aspects of Spotify’s human resources, guiding the people strategy that supports more than 7,000 bandmates representing the more than 180 markets we serve. She’s been with Spotify since 2016 and has worn a few different HR hats, most recently heading up HR for our business teams. Before joining Spotify, she held HR roles at Nasdaq and Teracom.

For the Record sat down with Anna to learn more about what makes her tick—everything from building a workplace that’s all about new ideas and being kind to each other to her favorite running tunes.

You’ve been with Spotify for nearly a decade. How has the company evolved? What’s always remained true at our core?

Spotify is always changing and improving, and that, together with all our talented people, is a big part of what keeps me here. It’s true that change really is the only constant. We have evolved from being a great product to now proving we are a great business as well, but we’re just getting started. Our team reflects the growth and changes of our company and bandmates, the industries and countries we operate in, and the creators we support. And we are playing to win!

Creativity is infused into everything we do, and that applies to how we approach our employee experience. It’s what has led to our global benefits offering and our Work From Anywhere initiative, how we embed AI into our product and our workplace, and the introduction of Core Weeks, to name a few.

While a lot of things look different today than 10 years ago, at our core, we remain rooted in hard work, pushing for greatness by always being better than yesterday, and creating an environment where people stay passionate about our journey—and have a lot of fun along the way.

What are some of your goals and top priorities in your new role?

We pride ourselves on having some of the most creative minds in the business, and my top priority is to continue nurturing this. We have to keep evolving the band experience, reflecting not only where we are as a company but where we aspire to go. This means setting bandmates up for success by opening new doors to explore creativity and deliver tangible impact, whatever your role.

To me, aligning our people strategy with product and business goals is key for a sustainable and genuine people experience. That’s why ensuring AI is a key focus across the organization is also a top priority. AI and machine learning have been part of our platform for years, and now we’re focused on embedding that more deeply in our daily work across our entire organization—from engineers to marketers to HR business partners.

Finally, enabling benefits for a sustainable workforce by championing initiatives focused on health and well-being is also a priority for me and my team.

How would you describe Spotify’s company culture? 

Culture is something that’s always evolving. I see it like this: Our culture is built on giving our bandmates runway to exercise good judgment and move fast wherever they sit, whatever their title. We have a fun—and dare I say unique—creative environment where we empower and inspire people to do the best work of their careers. And it’s a place where you can untangle tiny knots to solve big problems.

What piece of advice do you always share with new bandmates?

I say to new bandmates what I say to my children and what I live by: Be kind and treat others how you want to be treated. 

I also encourage all bandmates, not just newcomers, to focus on the job at hand. Spotify is a fast-paced and ever-changing company, and you need to be relentlessly focused and not get lost in the millions of other exciting things happening at the same time. Then, once you have delivered on that task, say yes to new challenges and to solving new problems that come your way, regardless of how complex or difficult they may seem.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of the “gravity of mediocrity” in our day-to-day work and let comfort and routine inhibit creativity. Spotify is what it is because of our relentless commitment to innovation and best-in-class work across the company. So fighting against that routine and challenging the norm is invaluable to our mission, no matter what team someone is on or what their title is.

What’s on your playlist at the moment?

Right now, I’m inspired by legendary songwriter Diane Warren, who recently joined us for one of our exclusive Listening Lounge fireside chats for bandmates in New York City. Diane is tied for the most No. 1 songs written by a sole songwriter in Billboard history, so we were beyond honored to welcome her for this special event.

I’m also an avid runner and love Spotify’s Running Club playlist for my 6K [3.7 miles] run on the weekends.

Distributed First Contributes to Spotify’s Strength

September 1, 2022

animation of people working across many workplaces

Enter a meeting room in any Spotify office and you’ll see a reminder on the screen, a mantra to keep in mind as you turn on the monitor to start your meeting: “We are distributed first,” it reads. “Does everyone in the room and on-screen have an opportunity to speak?” 

As a company, Spotify has long appreciated and embraced the intricacies of hybrid meetings. Global and local teams as well as collaborators worldwide meant that combined in-person and virtual meetings were already a big part of the company culture. Still, the majority of our 6,000+ employees were heading into work daily at one of our offices prior to the start of the pandemic. 

Yet Spotify’s leadership team recognized early that in-office work wasn’t the only way to achieve company goals. Particularly, the goals of globalization and digitalization necessitated an even more flexible way of working. So becoming “distributed-first,” or enabling employees to work from the places that were the most conducive to them, was a logical next step. The events of 2020, in addition to employee feedback, served to accelerate this transition. 

Fast-forward two years, in which we’ve incorporated a Work from Anywhere (WFA) policy and converted our offices to become dynamic workplaces. Now, employees are again holding hybrid meetings, with some in offices and others at home across the world. However, much has changed, and more employees now work fully remote, while those who choose to go into the office one, two, or five days a week find themselves in an entirely new set-up. 

All of this ladders up to our distributed-first mentality—one in which Spotify provides a productive work space for everyone, even when no two employees’ work places, preferences, or optimal schedules are the same.

Meet the dynamic workplace

Start with a hub—a location like Spotify’s New York office (where you’ll be treated to sweeping views of the harbor and comfortable seating for meetings and relaxing alike). Around the corner, desks are dotted across open collaborative areas that are great for in-promptu conversations; the space’s quieter padded conference alcoves are ideal for when employees need to focus. Conference rooms with smart monitors for hybrid meetings can be booked for groups of two, four, 10, and more. Employees can flex as their day and work needs require. 

 

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The concept of providing an office space that reflects the needs of employees, or a “dynamic workplace,” was under consideration even pre-pandemic. According to Mattias Stålhammar, head of Global Workplace Services, Spotify started office transformations in autumn of 2019. “We consider the dynamic workplace to be an approach and not a solution,” he explained. “The goal is to provide a workplace that reflects the needs of the employees and thus the business. The three main objectives are flexibility, well-being and sustainability.”

Some view collaboration as their primary motivation for spending time in the office; for others, it’s the focus time. Our offices are being designed accordingly. Unassigned desks allow employees the flexibility to change up their office environment depending on their work needs or even their moods. 

“Some of the coolest things I’ve worked on here have grown out of small talk in the hallways and around our desks,” says J.J. Italiano, Head of Global Hits, who works out of Spotify’s Los Angeles office. “With the layout of the LA office, it’s so easy to run into people that I might not interact with in my normal day-to-day work. Moving from one conference room to another or getting up to grab a snack can turn into a 30-second conversation with a colleague that helps to inspire something I’m working on or get me up to speed on something interesting happening elsewhere in the company that I wasn’t aware of before.” 

 

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But for J.J., a best-of-both-worlds approach allows him to do his best work. “Some work is easier to do alone at home, like catching up on emails or working on a project,” adds J.J. “Other stuff—like planning, brainstorming, and problem-solving—are easier to do in person with the team, where ideas can be bounced around and refined in a group setting.” 

In any location, proper equipment is critical. “We provide three different types of workplace nodes,” continues Mattias. “Our Spotify offices, coworking spaces, and home offices. In our office and home office nodes, we make sure that we provide an ergonomic set-up together with a proper IT set-up.” So employees who work primarily from home and those who are hybrid can order ergonomic equipment to ensure a comfortable environment. 

At the end of the day, J.J. chose to primarily work from the office—something we call “Office Mix”—because his teammates are his favorite thing about working at Spotify. And that’s a sentiment that’s shared across the business. 

“Our people are our most important asset and it’s crucial that we provide the best possible conditions for them to be productive, stay healthy, and feel connected to the company—and, let’s not forget—to have fun!” says Mattias. “Our workplace plays an important role in attracting and retaining top-talent to make sure the company continues to develop in a positive way.”

 

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A Work-From-Anywhere mentality

Our “Work from Anywhere” (WFA) policy, which was rolled out in early 2021, cements that the office isn’t the be-all and end-all for work at Spotify. “We believe that work isn’t something you come to the office for, it’s something you do” is a philosophy long held by Katarina Berg, Spotify’s Chief HR Officer. “Giving people freedom to choose where they work will make great people more effective, and this flexibility will better support work-family balance, ultimately helping to attract and retain talent.”  

 

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This mindset has already paid off for plenty of employees. Maria Rossi, a Product Insights Manager for Personalization who relocated from Argentina to the Netherlands six years ago, says she was only looking for jobs where she could work mostly remotely from Amsterdam. She enjoys the flexibility of working from home, which allows her to harness deep focus time during the workday as well as daily runs right before sunset. She doesn’t miss opportunities for in-person connections, either.

“Working from Amsterdam while my direct team is distributed across Europe means that going to the office brings the best of both worlds,” she says. “I get the flexibility to live in a city I love with friends and family that are here, while having a global team and collaborating with colleagues across the world. Being able to have a distributed-first mentality also enables us to have, in my opinion, the biggest benefit of all: creating a team with different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences by acknowledging that you cannot always find that in one place.” 

Marina Cupaiuolo, an Operations Manager, was hired in Stockholm but relocated during the pandemic to Östersund, a five-hour train ride north of the city. The benefits of remote work and the culture surrounding it have enabled her to enjoy her new home and stay connected to colleagues. 

“Without WFA, I wouldn’t have been able to live this close to relatives, or afford the kind of living situation I can now—with a house and a big garden and a lake view. I’m able to go outside during lunch and pick veggies from my garden. I get to immediately play with my daughter as soon as I’m done with work. I value the trust that I’m delivering on the work that I was hired for, no matter if I’m sitting at an office desk or not.” 

 

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That trust is core not only to her day-to-day life working from home, but the Spotify mentality that contributes to a positive—and productive—distributed-first environment.

“We believe we can make people and teams more effective by building on the lessons we’ve learned on how Spotify works and rethinking how that work is done,” noted Katarina. “Operating as a distributed organization will produce better and more efficient ways of working through more intentional use of communication and collaboration practices, processes, and tools.” 

“I know this is a journey and that there are still things we have to figure out, but what I have found amazing is that there’s really been a mindset shift towards working distributed first,” says Maria. “People are very open and everyone is doing their best to make this work out. I’m confident it can only get better.” 

Distributed-First Is the Future of Work at Spotify

February 12, 2021

The future of how we work has been a popular topic inside the walls of Spotify for a while now. Our leadership team has long championed the idea that digitalization and globalization are massive drivers for a more flexible workplace that better suits both our band and our business. 

Needless to say, the events of the last year accelerated this thinking—and there’s no better time than now to transition into a distributed-first model—a workplace that isn’t built on the premise that employees need to gather in an office with traditional desk setups. 

Today, Spotify is proud to introduce Work From Anywhere (WFA), a new way of collaborating that allows Spotifiers to work from wherever they do their best thinking and creating. Through this distributed-first mentality, we are giving employees the opportunity to elect a Work Mode—whether they’d prefer to work mostly at home or in the office—as well as their geographic location. 

Here’s our thinking:

  • Work isn’t something our people come to the office for, it’s something they do.
  • Effectiveness can’t be measured by the number of hours people spend in an office.  Instead, giving people the freedom to choose where they work will boost effectiveness.
  • Giving our people more flexibility will support a better work-life balance and also help tap into new talent pools while keeping our existing band members.
  • A distributed-first structure will challenge us to improve our communication and collaboration practices, processes, and tools.  

As we continue evolving, we want to make sure our office spaces do too. As part of our ongoing Dynamic Workplace effort, we’re reevaluating our office spaces across the globe for increased sustainability, flexibility, and well-being to ensure that all of our employees, regardless of ability or situation, can work comfortably and efficiently. The ultimate goal of our new design approach is to ensure that employees have a place where they can focus, collaborate, and create—whether that’s at a desk, in a conference room, or in cafe spaces.

Read more about our philosophy on the future of work and WFA on our HR blog.