It’s not a secret that our everyday life looks a little different than it did six months ago. Living rooms have become classrooms and backyard camp outs have become the new weekend getaway! Offices are closed and now your dining room table is where you hold team meetings. While this may be a new way of life for most of us, vCom has been championing the work from anywhere approach for over 16 years.
When we hire for an open position, our goal is to always find the right candidate for the role, not who is most convenient. As an organization that has been hosting management meetings and weekly check–ins remotely for so long, we know life may take us away from our headquarters in Bishop Ranch, San Ramon, CA, and we celebrate that! Right now, in a time where everyone is being asking to wear multiple hats—some as teachers, childcare providers, and sharing their office with housemates—we want to share why working remote works for us.
We recently asked our team how they make this approach work best for them. One of our Business Development team members, Molly French, has quite a lot of experience with unique working locations. “The great news is that with vCom, I am able to work from anywhere as long as the internet is stable and solid,” said French. “This is amazing for myself and my family, especially my son to be able to play on the beach and the lake while Mom works in her office in the Toy Hauler.” Not to be out done, Jon Weinberg, our VP of Account Management, has “even taken conference calls from the river!”.
We understand that life does not simply stop because you have a 5pm deadline, sometimes it takes a balance between responsibilities. We trust our employees to complete their assignments and be present in their personal lives. Ivy Lee, VP of Finance, has been in a unique position during the California Shelter in Place. It has not been easy to balance being needed in Nor Cal and So Cal by her family, but her 11 years as a remote employee has taught her a thing or two about how to be successful while being mobile. Here are some of her tips:
- Be adaptable to your current environment. I may work from the kitchen, or the backyard, or in my bedroom. Be mindful of your need to focus, and the needs of others around you. On days when I am in back-to-back calls, sitting in the kitchen may not work when others need to also use this space.
- Learn to adjust to having only your laptop screen.
- Use a headset so your cohabitants don’t murder you!!
All joking aside, Ivy’s story of traveling to go where she was needed most can resonate with a lot of employees. Our team members feel confident knowing we will work with them to help reach their goals of being successful remote employees. We’ve learned that being remote is a benefit to our organization as it allows our team members to continue to be effective and understanding of a healthy work-life-balance.
Hopefully you’ve been able to find balance as you and your organization navigate through this time as well.