‘Our perks are increasing’: Canva hits back at workplace claims

Despite valuation write downs, the design software giant insists its 3500 workers have more work benefits as it details plans for a hybrid future.

Canva co-founders Cliff Obrecht, Melanie Perkins and Cameron Adams. Picture: Britta Campion

Design software outfit Canva has claimed its 3500-strong workforce have received increased employee perks and benefits amid the tech downturn as the company continues to increase headcount, despite a drop in paper valuation.

Canva has drawn media criticism that employee perks have been scaled back due to interest rate rises, a valuation drop of about 50 per cent and increased investor scrutiny.

In an interview, Canva’s global head of people Jennie Rogerson said the tech outfit had increased its employee perks.

“Our perks landscape hasn’t changed at all,” Ms Rogerson said. “It’s actually the opposite. So our perks are increasing. We have all the social clubs that are still going on, we have our office spaces, which is still going on, events, general perks, benefits etc.”

Each “Canvanaut” receive free breakfast, lunch and snacks from its in-house chefs, along with a gym membership, employee assistance programs, stock options and the option to join its social clubs such as Dance Club, Wine Club or Friday Foodies.

Canva’s Sydney office space is well utilised by staff.

More important was Canva’s commitment to a flexible way of working, Ms Rogerson said. Canva is maintaining its stance that there are no requirements for staff to return to the office.

Some 60 per cent of Sydney-based workers return to the office at least once a week, while each employee has the option of working onsite, permanently remote, or a hybrid of both.

About 35 per cent of workers are in the office twice or more a week.

Each team generally made a group decision about what best works for them and nothing had been mandated at a company level, she said.

“It’s definitely not something that we’re looking to change at all,” Ms Rogerson said.

“It’s something that’s working incredibly well for us. What I’m hearing back from our teams … is that some of them just prefer working permanently remote.

“Some people are loving working from home and we don’t want to drag them back to the office if they don’t want to be here. They’re working really well and they’re incredibly productive.”

Canva’s global head of people Jennie Rogerson.

Despite not being at full capacity in recent months, Canva has opened new offices in Melbourne, Austin (US) and London and the next challenge is to better sync and collaborate across time zones and jurisdictions.

The company had humble beginnings as an online-based rival to Adobe Photoshop, but has grown into a fully fledged design collaboration tool offering AI capabilities and the ability to build presentations, videos and websites.

It is continuing to add headcount, while other tech firms are laying off staff or mandating hiring freezes.

“The next opportunity for us is making sure that we’re globally consistent in how we work, so things like ensuring our documentation and processes are really clear to make sure that there’s equal opportunity for people to contribute to goals etc, which I think is the next level of what we look like,” Ms Rogerson said.

“We’ve been based in Australia for a long time. And now we’re a truly global team with people in the Philippines and China, the US and Europe, which means there’s a lot of time zones to take into consideration. And so there’s a lot of thought that’s going into how we best do that.”