When you think of productivity, you probably think of offices, automation, digitization, and crossing items off your to-do list. But for many people throughout the world, productivity isn’t based on digital tools or software—it’s about the efficiency of animals. And you might be surprised to hear that the donkey is one of the most productive animals on Earth.
Donkeys: Transforming Productivity Across the World
There are about 50 million donkeys in the world, and it’s estimated that around 95% of them are working animals. It’s amazing how donkeys transform the way humans work by boosting efficiency and productivity. They are a large part of the livelihood of many cultures, performing tasks like working in brick kilns in India or journeying 10 miles to collect water and firewood in Africa.
These hardworking animals often find themselves in poor health after such an intense work life, and many live in donkey sanctuaries after they retire from the (literal) heavy lifting. Donkeys are usually abandoned at the sanctuary because they are sick, old, or injured and can no longer help their owners make a living. Walter happens to be one of those donkeys.
Meet Walter
Somehow—by luck, magic, or some intense Googling—Formstack happened to find The Donkey Sanctuary and decided to adopt a donkey named Walter.
The staff immediately fell in love with his cute speckles, flowing tail, and friendly eyes. He is spending his retirement in a lush field in Sidmouth, England, adding to our long list of remote ‘Stackers.
At the time, adopting Walter was just a unique way to give back—something that fit well into our culture and gave new hires an injection of fun when working through all the onboarding forms. But over time, Walter has transformed into a mascot of sorts for employees around the world.
Donkeys help others and solve problems, which is reflective of Formstack’s culture values. They also get work done in a productive and efficient way, which speaks to our transformation into a productivity platform. Our marketing team felt like we needed to give Walter more of a spotlight.
So we did!
#WanderingWalter: Embracing Formstack’s Company Culture
Thanks to the #remotelife, our employees are able to travel the world and work from anywhere. For a while now, the marketing team at Formstack has tried to find the perfect item for employees to take pictures with during their travels. As a remote-first company, we are always looking for ways to engage with our teammates spread all over the world.
At a recent brainstorming session, Walter was brought up as a great representation of Formstack. LIGHTBULB! Donkeys are incredibly productive, help humans improve their work, and are pretty stinkin’ cute as well.
Hence, #WanderingWalter came to Formstack, just in time for his 21st birthday on August 1!
Promotion Choice provided us a Walter plushie that looks pretty close to the real thing, plus he’s rocking a sweet T-shirt with the Formstack logo!
Wandering Walter truly encompasses the spirit of Formstack. His small size makes him agile, he always has a smile on his face, and he loves connecting with employees across the organization. He really is the perfect mascot!
To celebrate Walter’s 21st birthday, we’re sharing some fun photos of where Walter has wandered so far. He’s had quite the journey!
Our Talent Management Lead Justin recently brought Walter along to the TechPoint Sales Bootcamp Interview Day.
Walter helped set Formstack apart and sparked some great conversations!
He sure is adorable, isn’t he? Our employees are pretty cool too. If you want to join in the fun, simply follow the hashtag #WanderingWalter to get all the great snaps of Walter directly in your feed.
Want your own Walter? Check out our careers page to see what roles we have open for your opportunity to join our remote team!
Follow our Instagram to see what #WanderingWalter is up to and keep track all of his adventures! Where do you think he will pop up next?
