At EGI Foundation, most of our staff work remotely across Europe, collaborating online in dynamic, cross-border projects. This distributed, project-driven way of working is powerful — but it also means that much of our interaction happens in scheduled online meetings.
Flexible Meeting-Free Fridays
Creating Space to Think at EGI Foundation
To protect time for deep work, reflection, and personal development, the EGI Foundation - coordinating body of the EGI Federation - introduced Flexible Meeting-Free Fridays: a practice that minimises scheduled meetings on Fridays, making more space for uninterrupted focus, strategic thinking, and innovation.
This initiative reflects and supports the values that guide us every day at EGI Foundation:
- Openness – creating room for clear communication and fresh ideas to emerge.
- Innovation – giving colleagues the focus time to explore bold solutions and improve services.
- Collaboration – concentrating teamwork Monday to Thursday so that Fridays can be dedicated to advancing individual and shared goals without interruption.
- Trust – empowering staff to use judgement on when exceptions are necessary, balancing focus with collaboration.
- Excellence – enabling colleagues to dive deep into complex challenges and deliver high-quality solutions for the research community.
How it works
- Fridays are reserved primarily for individual focus work, planning, and professional growth.
- Informal check-ins (quick Slack calls or clarifications) remain welcome if they support progress.
- Exceptions are possible when needed (e.g. time-sensitive deadlines, limited availability, or partner requirements), but are carefully considered to keep the spirit of the policy.
By protecting space for thinking and creativity, Flexible Meeting-Free Fridays help us nurture a workplace culture where people can thrive, innovation can flourish, and collaboration becomes even more effective.
As we continue to evolve, this is just one step in shaping a healthier, more balanced, and more impactful way of working — for our staff and for the European research community we serve.
