Remote Team for the Win!

Going Virtual With Our Office Was a Big Part of Our Success!

A few years ago, with a team of seven intrepid engineers, artists, and designers and some seed funding from a small business grant, I took the leap and started my own business. Funds were tight and time was precious, so we all knew the best choice was to be a remote team, and we were proven right.

With the help of On Point Executive Center, working from home was one of the best decisions our company made. We scheduled daily scrum calls and used Skype, and eventually Slack, to communicate throughout the day. The engineers particularly appreciated this approach, because it limited interruptions while still encouraging direct communication and transparency across the team. It boosted productivity without hindering team cohesion.

While we maintained core hours, team members were also free to work at the times that were most productive from them. This bolstered morale, as parents could adjust their schedule to accommodate walking their kids to the school bus, and night owls could put in a few hours in the evening if they wanted to.

And speaking of productivity, absenteeism was far lower than in our previous brick-and-mortar office days. While everyone was encouraged to take days off as needed, most chose to use far fewer of them, and sick days in particular were down. While remote workers still get sick and need time off, there isn’t that same sense of ‘avoiding the office’, and all the energy it demands, factored into self-care. As a result, recovery was quicker and, since communication was documented in chat channels, team members could more effectively catch up on what happened while they were away.

And it can’t be overstated how much money we saved on overhead by forgoing the traditional office. As a technology team, we compensated employees for a portion of internet expenses, but it was still far cheaper than if we had wired up an office with the network infrastructure we would have required. Rent, utilities, parking, cleaning services and so many other expenses would have easily eaten up more than half our budget and placed the team under the kind of financial pressure that can take a bite out of productivity.

As the CEO and project manager, I was able to focus on creating value and fostering
productivity rather than negotiating leases, buying office furniture, and emptying wastebaskets. And I was able to build this value and support this great team from the comfort of my own home, without a commute, and with zero regrets.

Thanks On Point!

#onpoint  #weop