At HubbleHQ, we’ve got a few Hubblers who are well-versed with the world of remote work; despite being away from the office, they’ve managed to remain key members of the team.
One of these lovely people is Kelly Lee, one of our Customer Success Managers.
Since companies are operating remotely for the first time, individuals may find it a challenge to adjust to. So, we thought it would be useful to gain Kelly’s insights into how to turn this situation to our advantage. So, without further ado, here are some of her top tips!
For more tips, tricks and invaluable insights into remote working, head to the HubbleHQ Remote Work Hub; the definitive source for all things remote work-related.
So, first thing’s first. What made you decide to go remote full-time?
Kelly: Necessity! When I started at HubbleHQ, I had just finished maternity leave. Since I was coming back as a working mum, I requested to work 2 out of 5 days from home. After I had my second child, I asked to reduce my days and exclusively work from home—and having already proven my work ethic, it was fortunately approved.
Were there any things that took you time to adjust initially?
Kelly: I guess not having that office presence and being able to have daily interactions with the growing company was a challenge. I’m lucky that my immediate team are fantastic online communicators and we’re able to just chat, but I do miss being able to converse with the wider company.
And believe it or not, I do actually miss commuting. The ability to just sit, read or listen to music without interruption and sipping on a store-bought coffee was such a luxury! I also found that taking a proper lunch break was a struggle—I often eat in front of my laptop as it’s there.
As most companies have now gone full-remote for the timebeing, do you have any tips for those finding it hard to make the transition?
Keeping productivity levels up:
Kelly:
- Manage up: Keep your lines of communication open and don’t wait for your team to ask what you’ve been working on. Also, this helps to ensure that the work you’re doing is a relevant, helpful and productive use of your time.
- Write up a To-Do List: While some find it helpful to assign priorities or deadlines to their tasks, others like to work through them. I’d recommend doing what works for you and ask others for tips along the way.
- Be organised: Keep all your folders, documents and their labelling consistent. It’s also helpful to document any processes you’ve developed as if you were going to include it in a training guide for a new hire.
Since we’re all working at home, it’s even more important than ever to establish a work-life balance. What’s helped you achieve this?
Kelly:
- Take screen breaks, hydrate and have a proper lunch break.
- Start and finish your day on time. If you have young family, be sure to put your phone down and turn that computer off—give them your attention!
- Dress comfortably. Hypothetically, you could stay in your PJs all day but I find it sets the tone for a productive day if you get ready for work.
And for staying connected to the team?
Kelly:
- Attend as many virtual team socials as you’re able to. It’s a great way to decompress and get to know people when they don’t have work to crack on with—they’re usually good fun, too!
- To keep up with the banter, I’d definitely recommend being vocal on Slack.
- Ensure you delegate time to catch up on anything you’ve missed out on. My workdays don’t align with the weekly company meeting, but I make a point of catching up on the slides and ask my team for clarification the following day.
Now the whole HubbleHQ team as gone remote, has this changed your working life at all?
Kelly: It hasn’t impacted my work life that much, to be honest!
Have you noticed the team’s communication change at all? Has it been better? Worse?
Kelly: There’s a lot more chatter on Slack now, which is lovely as I know I’m not missing out on things happening in the office.
What are the challenges of remote working?
Kelly: I’d say one of the biggest challenges is things getting misconstrued over instant messages or email. Also, being somewhat tied to your laptop for fear of missing anyone who’s trying to reach out to you definitely throws a spanner in the works at trying to maintain a work-life balance. Oh, and did I mention the sheer panic when your internet taps out?
And what are the positives?
Kelly: You save money from not commuting and buying lunch, which is always a perk. I also love the fact I can set up my own work environment to suit my needs—your own music, lighting and even your own duvet if you need to be cosy!
What’s the strangest experience you’ve had when working remotely?
Kelly: Nothing major, maybe just the kids or my pug wandering into the scene during a video call!
Sum up your remote working in 3 words!
Kelly: Win-win setup!
Thanks, Kelly!
