Social distancing has changed our understanding of the modern work environment.
Everyone’s had to learn the best way to adapt their day-to-day, so it can be done remotely.
Like with any major change, transitioning to a digital workspace comes with its pros and cons.
As a small business, we thought we could share a unique perspective on our team’s experience of working from home.
Greg McNeil: CEO/Founder
In 1999, when I started our company, I answered phones, did tech support, dabbled in website development, and search engine optimization (back in the day that was keyword stuffing).
I was a jack of all trades and master of none. Over the years, as we grew, people like Justin, Steve, and Jimmy who were far more capable than me took over those roles.
But now that COVID-19 has temporarily changed our world and my team is working from home, I’m the only one in the office. So, if you call for tech support, I just might be the one answering the phone.
I’m a little rusty so you’ll have to be patient with me, but one way or another I’ll see that your issues get resolved.
Justin Sims: Chief Technology Officer
“Adjusting to the new “work from home” reality has taken me some time, and truthfully, I’m still getting used to it.
I’m grateful for the hour or two I save each day as a result of not having to commute. Nowadays, I work just a few feet from my wife. That’s allowed us to interact more throughout the workday, and in some ways, demystifies our jobs.
Work is no longer some place I go to and return from. It’s a mindset; a mode of operation.
While I do miss somethings about the old way of onsite office work — my sturdy desk with its abundant surface area and my massive whiteboard — I’m uncertain if they’ll be enough pull me back in.”
Roy Wright: Account Executive
“This is actually the first time I have worked from home for this long and overall, I would have to say that I like it.
Not only do I save 5 hours a week minimum driving back and forth to the office, but I also feel that I am slightly more productive at home than work.
I am not quite sure why that is, maybe because I am trying to compensate for not being in the office or maybe it is because there are less distractions.
Although, I do miss getting to see everyone in the office every day.”
Adam Young: Sales Associate Specialist
“As one of the first in the office to begin working from home, I was able to provide an idea of the obstacles and challenges the other team members would face.
This allowed us to work out these kinks and have a smoother transition for the other team members when we transitioned to fully remote.
One of the largest positives for me personally is avoiding the commute, as a typical day I would meet at a coworker’s house, and carpool the rest of the way to work, sometimes spending one to two hours sitting in traffic on the way to and from work.
It does have its drawbacks though, the largest being the difficulty in team brainstorming and planning. As most people have probably found out, it’s just not the same on a video or conference call.
Although if this is the largest issue I encounter, I would say it is well worth the benefits.”
Jimmy White: Marketing Content Writer
“I’ve worked remotely full time in the past. So, while I definitely prefer being in the office, this is something I’m familiar with.
As part of a small business, I’m used to having the rest of my coworkers just a holler away. But, tools like Slack and Zoom have made collaboration from home incredibly easy, despite the distance.
I’ll admit, cutting down on my commute has been nice. However, I’m definitely looking to clear up some space on my kitchen table (it’s currently my new workstation) sooner rather than later.”