We are a fully remote organisation. We don't have offices and staff are allowed (and encouraged) to work anywhere in the World.
Remote work comes with its own set of challenges. Isolation and long hours are common. Communication can be difficult. And a sense of company culture can be hard to maintain.
Here's how we solve each of these challenges.
Communication
To solve the communication challenge we rely heavily on technology.
Our primary communication tool is Slack. Please make sure you are fully set up with Slack on your desktop and mobile, with notifications turned on. Try to keep all communication on Slack. It is a lot more effective and fluid than email.
We also use video conferencing technologies but are relatively agnostic in terms of solutions here. We primarily use Skype, Zoom and Google Meet.
Isolation and Long Hours
To solve the isolation and long hours challenge, here are some tips.
Use the Slack "random" channel
Interact and engage with colleagues on the "random" channel in Slack. There are over 100 people in our Slack group, strike up conversations and see if people have similar interests to you.
Suggest a video call
If something can be done faster or better over video conference, suggest a quick call. This is a great way to put a face to a name.
Arrange co-working meetups
Arrange to meet up with colleagues at a coffee shop or co-working space. This is a great way to get out of the house, meet new people and make connections.
Organise after work drinks or activities
Don't be shy to suggest after-work drinks or activities. This is another great way to meet colleagues and get more out of work.
Create a dedicated space just for work
This is especially true if you work from home. A dedicated workspace makes it easy to end the workday and leave that space. Also, you don't want to be setting up and clearing up your workspace every day. You might want that place to be a closed room where you feel more comfortable getting on calls and focusing.
Try getting into a deep work state
It is so easy nowadays to get distracted. Being able to focus is increasingly becoming a superpower. If you struggle to focus try removing distractions like your mobile phone and access to social media. Read Cal Newport's book Deep Work.
Take regular breaks
Try to get out of your chair every hour or so. Even just to fill back that empty glass of water that's drying on your desk.
Get moving
Some people find it useful to squeeze in some exercise during the day or right after work.
Meditate
Quiet your mind once a day, even if it's just for 5 minutes. It might sound all new-age mumbo jumbo, but from my experience (and that of many others), mindfulness really works wonders. Here are some suggested apps: Waking Up, Headspace, Calm
Culture
Company culture naturally emerges, but to guide us in the right direction, read and absorb our Vision, Mission and Values.
Manager-of-One
We encourage a Manager-of-One mindset at Contentellect. We trust our team to manage their clients, deliverables, and time effectively. Although our account managers report directly to our Head of Operations, we don’t micromanage. This structure is in line with our remote-first company ethos and cultural values.