Creative & Tech
Remote working, should we promote it?
What are the benefits?
When I returned to full time work three years ago having had twins and relocating out of London, I was keen to continue my career whilst balancing this with the school run and putting my children to bed. How could I go about combining this? Was it indeed possible in this day and age?
Since my return to work, I have noticed more and more of my clients and candidates progressively promote and discuss the merits of remote working, flexible working hours, job sharing and the boost this gives to companies in terms of productivity, engagement and progression.
So, I’m not alone with this….
The key to the success and rise of remote working, in my eyes, is not just the increasing amount of technology that makes this possible such as cloud-based platforms and wifi, but more importantly the increasing progressive attitude towards promoting this way of working. An upward trend that I see across sectors including agencies, fintech, charities & start-ups are all starting to see the benefits both commercially and mentally.
From my perspective it’s trying to find that balance between the flexibility of working remotely coupled with spending enough time with the team so that you are not isolated. At the beginning of 2019 I was offered an opportunity to join Native Gravity heading up their Creative, UX and tech recruitment. I currently spend two days a week in the office with my team and the rest remotely. My time with my team strengthens our relationship across many levels and allows me perspective, community and the ability to focus so that on the days I spend away from the office, I still feel part of the team and importantly the centre of our company WhatsApp. group.
There are still things I need to work on, I am guilty of working too hard at home, forgetting to eat a proper lunch and working straight through, when in fact I should take a break mid-day to experience the fresh air, have a work out or put a load of washing on…
Whether you are a professional with children, have a sports interest or health issue, we all should strive to have a life outside the office and establish that work/life balance.
Is the future for everyone in digital to at least be part remote? How do you create a strong work/life balance but without losing the team structure to your business?
