Bzzzzzz. The groceries have arrived. I texted a list of stuff we need to some girl in Cape Town yesterday. Less than 24 hours later, In Johannesburg, a lovely man in a green shirt is handing me bags from Pick ’n Pay filled with everything I asked for. One of them is clanging loudly with the distinct sound of multiple wine bottles. I look at it awkwardly. He notices the surroundings- clearly an office.
“You guys having a function?”
“No.”
I thank him and have one of those “woah, crazy times we live in” moments to myself.
I text the girl in Cape Town – Got the stuff. Good wine choices.
Ok so she’s not just “some girl in Cape Town.” She’s our virtual assistant. Her name is Caileigh. I’ve never met her, but we voice note all the time now and she’s an important part of our team. She has her own business called Smoothe, working remotely as a virtual assistant. We hire her per hour and she manages extra tasks for us when we don’t have the capacity.
The remote workforce is growing as technology continues to free and empower us through endless means of connectivity. Digital nomadism has enabled an industry of its own, with “remote team management” and “virtual team building” emerging as important roles.
It’s meant to be the dream, right? Hooking up in beautiful cafés- “un café noir,” you say to the waitron between banging out emails. You’re ordering in French because you’re in Paris this week because, why not? Or the less glam but equally desirable dream of client meetings in your pyjama pants (Thank you Skype/ Zoom/ Google Meet/ you-name-it). Maybe you’ll join the Wifi Tribe (check this out and tell us it’s not the dream!).
But, realistically, what does remote working mean for company culture, communication and the individual? An article in Time Magazine discussed pro’s on cons, pointing out a survey done by ConnectSolutions, which found that remote workers are more likely to eat right, exercise and don’t carry the stress of commuting. On the other hand, research from Cornell University revealed the other side of the coin: remote workers and freelancers are at greater risk of feeling personally and professionally isolated. Such social isolation is linked to many mental and physical health risks.
For the company, communication between colleagues and leaders, and the overall sense of culture is cultivated on the ground, in person and is one of the most important factors affecting the bottom line of the business. Shauna Moran, founder of Operate Remote, says that communication is one of the biggest challenges in remote teams. “Leaders need to define and communicate their expectations for their remote teams. Organisations need to challenge ‘this is the way we’ve always done it’ and come with fresh perspectives and a growth mindset.”
The freedom that remote working presents is seductive and in many cases healthy too. Like anything though, it’s about creating a balance that works for an individual and a company. The dreaminess of it depends on the individual, how they feel about their work and the way they choose to spend the flexible time.
For us, company culture is really important. We’re a tribe and it affects our vibe. Mimosas on Friday mornings (only sometimes) and brainstorming together over brownies, in all seriousness, plays an important role in the quality of our work and communication between the team. However, we also like to do things differently and we are pretty passionate about café culture too. Our solution is that we work one day during the week remotely. We call it an OOF day- Out On the Field. Often it’s our most productive day because we can focus in a way that 100% suits us, uninterrupted. Sometimes it just helps refresh and clear the mind so we stay not just on top but with space to be creative. We’re excited to see more businesses being open-minded and flexible as technology shifts the working landscape.