Fishtales
Outside the pond
Posted: 09/08/2022
Author: Fishtank
We think we’re safe in saying that the whole world has now adapted to hybrid working – mainly because we had no choice in the matter… But is it here to stay?
According to TravelPerk, when interviewed in a study on hybrid working, 76% of respondents confirmed that their companies shifted to a hybrid working model. The main attraction that hybrid working offers to both businesses and employees is the long-term benefits it provides when it comes to work/life balance. If we also look at the Condeco Attitudes to Hybrid Working Report, 7 in 10 employees agree that hybrid working shows their company cares about employees’ emotional and mental well-being.
We stand with all the other companies rolling out a hybrid working scenario outside of the global pandemic and we do in fact have two fully-remote members as part of our web development team! Junior Developer Jayme and Web Developer Charlie.
We’re never one to turn down talent here at Fishtank, and we don’t like to rule out exceptional team members based on their location.
We were keen to find out what was so appealing about working fully remote so we sat with Jayme and Charlie and asked them a few questions about why they were so open to the idea, and why it works so well for them:
What was initially so appealing about being able to work full remote for a creative agency?
Jayme:
For me, it’s about being able to manage my personal life/issues and not let them get in the way of my work. I can work with higher efficiency in my own space and manage my work day.
For example, I could be having a bad day with anxiety and this can affect my whole day if I cannot ‘ground’ myself. Being home (safe space) allows me to do this within a 10/15min timeout and I can get myself back into work and hopefully, be able to resume productivity.
Charlie:
The trust offered is always a nice reassurance that your team believes in your ability, time management and work ethic to get the work done instead of focusing on micro-management. Knowing I will be trusted makes me work harder for the business because I want to prove that it is worth trusting me and that this remote working scenario does work well (for those that prefer it).
Additionally, knowing that a business can still communicate effectively regardless of where employees are working becomes such an encouraging sign that a team works well together and that the output of employees is more important than the location they work at. Similarly, the luxury of working from home with all its mental health benefits of comfort, flexibility and reduction of outside stresses helps prove that the business believes employee satisfaction outweighs workplace traditions.
What are your top five perks of working from home?
Jayme:
- The flexibility of being able to take control of my own work day and manage my personal life alongside it.
- Being in my own space and being comfortable helps with productivity.
- There’s no stress with commuting to the office as there’s no need to rely on transportation or weather affecting the commute. This also saves me a lot of money.
- Can complete more work/tasks as I can control how the potential distractions around me affect my work and I can ‘tune out’ without feeling like I’m ignoring the rest of the office.
- Having that feeling that your co-workers and management trust you to complete your assigned tasks. Something that I have experienced previously, even in the office, where there was no trust from management. We weren’t trustworthy enough to do our work without being watched over and this doesn’t help with productivity.
Charlie:
- Flexibility to work later and make up time easier when life gets in the way
- Removal of commute to work which wasted time and money along with the stress of public transport or traffic delays which was always a drain on energy
- The feeling of trust from colleagues knowing they believe in you enough to not watch over your shoulder and that you will get in touch if there are issues
- The comfort of home setup with monitors/pc/accessories I have acquired over years of studying/working at home in the past.
- I work more efficiently at home with fewer distractions
Do you feel you are still able to connect with the team despite not working in the office environment?
Jayme:
Definitely. In this modern world, we are all used to the term “drop me a message” and I think that this translates into the work environment. Being able just to drop someone a message to have a friendly conversation or to talk about work at any time. Everyone is always willing to have a catch-up and a little natter.
Charlie:
Yes – partly due to everyone’s friendly nature and keenness to jump in calls and catch up when discussing work but also the social events organised by the team that are always worth the commute.
How do you get yourself into ‘work mode’ while in a home environment?
Charlie:
I use 2 separate computers (one for work and one for gaming/home life) therefore, once the work computer goes on and I have a cup of tea in my hand I am usually good to go!
I also find that treating working at home similar to working in an office helps i.e. I still make sure to get up earlier than I need, shower, eat and get dressed like I used to (although I wear joggers a lot more than jeans these days). Treating my morning as if I was still commuting to work each morning helps me feel ready for work but instead of the painful work commute I have time in the morning to go for a walk, clean the house or just prepare for the day with less stress.
Jayme:
It’s something that I’m pretty much tuned into as I love what I do for a living. Similar to Charlie, I also have 2 separate computers, so I am able to separate my personal computer from my work computer and that helps with knowing you’re in ‘work mode’ and have no distractions that aren’t related to work.
So to summarise…
Flexibility, the lack of commuting and co-workers’ trust is the key to being happy working from home.
It’s controversial because it’s not for all of us. In fact, some of us would say the opposite and think their mental health suffers when working from home as their set-up just isn’t right, they can’t get in the same head space or they get too distracted. We’re all different and that’s why as an integrated marketing agency we offer a hybrid working system. We like to see our lovely team members’ faces a couple of times a week, and then they’re free to work from home whenever they like to suit their schedules and mental health needs.
We asked the rest of our lovely lot in the Fishtank team what they enjoy about the hybrid life, here’s what they had to say:
Paul: “The hybrid working scenario is great as it helps maintain a nice balance of enjoying the office environment and working from home which has fewer distractions, plus less time commuting.”
Jacy: “I love the hybrid working scenario, you get the best of both worlds. Coming in a minimum of two days to catch up with the team, enjoy the Wheatley Park scenery and the infamous office karaoke. Spending the rest of the week at home alleviates the need for dog walkers, fuel costs (especially since fuel prices have skyrocketed) and gives me a couple of days to get my head down and do my more intricate weekly tasks that need my full attention with no distractions.”
Georgia: “Having the option of working from home helps to break up the week and offers more focused days when you can really get stuck into a project.”
Sophie: “I love the option of hybrid working, it suits my work/family life balance. I’m able to work at home if I need to care of the children or just fancy a day in my pj’s!”
Ola: “Being able to go for a swim in the morning, having unlimited snacks and minimising exposure to the nightmare of public transport – I mean, honestly… 🤦🏼♀️”
Georgina: “The hybrid working scenario really works for me as it provides a healthy work and home life balance and also flexibility throughout the week when needed. Days in the office are still definitely of value in order to catch up with the team, hold client meetings, and overall team building. However, it’s also really efficient to have the option to have some days at home where the surroundings are quieter in order to get your head down and really get stuck into whatever it is you’re working on that requires more focus. Overall, I think the hybrid working life is the way forward and definitely contributes towards better staff morale all round!.”
Liam: “Along with being less distracted at home, I find that hybrid working allows me to keep my creative energy high! Having a mix of office and home working gives me the ability to break up my week to ensure I feel refreshed every day. This helps me avoid the repetitiveness which has a negative impact on creative thinking, whilst massively preventing burnout! I’m very lucky to work at an agency that gives their employees the room to do their jobs the best way they can.”
Katie: “The reason I enjoy working from home is because we get a break from the blaring club music 😂… no really it’s because it is great to put your head down in your own space and be productive – I love the office but I also love talking to everyone so I’m far more productive at home (plus you can stick your laundry on at lunch) and you can also work outside in the garden which is a bonus – especially for creative writing.”
Danielle: “Hybrid working actually wasn’t my vibe at first… I struggled to focus working from home and found that I didn’t enjoy bringing work into my home life, however more recently with the costs of fuel increasing and having to deal with some difficult personal issues the hybrid scenario has helped me massively which I’m super grateful for – it definitely promotes better mental health across the nation… Oh, and the no-makeup days are deffo a bonus😜 ”
Matt: “The opportunity to work from the office or at home is a real advantage when it comes to arranging my week. I have to say that in general, I prefer being in the office as I feel that allows me to connect with the team more and I suppose having worked in the industry before hybrid working was ever a thing I still value face-to-face contact. I do think that the immediate response you get from talking to someone directly can be really valuable. However, having the option to work from home can also be really useful if I’ve got something that I need to focus on without distractions. I find that the space I gain at home can help me be productive. Having the option gives me the best of both worlds and the opportunity to work in the way that suits me best at any given time but I definitely wouldn’t want to abandon office time completely. The opportunity to be in a group is really valuable to me and I think it helps keep the team connected in a way that just wouldn’t be possible if we were at home all the time.”
Claire: “The hybrid scenario works really well for me, having a young family it gives me the flexibility I need but I also enjoy my time when I am in the office catching up with the team!”
Max: “I enjoy working from home as I’m in my own space surrounded by loads of plants and my two cats”
