Creating a Team that Thrives (& Jibes) Remotely
COVID has added a dose of dystopia to our everyday lives. When the people that you know and love in the world only appear from behind a screen while everyone in real life is hidden behind a mask, the feeling of distance is all too real. And, it’s not just affecting our social lives.
Working remotely creates challenges that we’d have never imagined back in the fun workspace days. When you’re no longer breaking biscuits together, you’ve got to find other ways to connect and communicate.
Thanks to Mr Bingo for the appropriate zoom backgrounds.
Joining the Pyjama Party
At Design-Hungry, we’ve always embraced the remote routine. The 9-5 grind crushes creativity and, frankly, I’d rather see incredible results from our teams than smell them microwaving fish in the office.
And it works for us. Over the years, we’ve transformed remote work into a fine art. Separating ourselves from the pyjama-clad masses going blind from boredom during yet another Zoom meeting, we’ve got a few tricks up our sleeve.
To Meet or Not to Meet
When it comes to creating a happy and productive team, it’s all about finding the perfect balance of communication. If you’re going to ask for people’s time, make it worthwhile. Get to know your colleagues and engage with them.
Like most teams, we do regular check-ins during projects and we also get to know each other’s lives. Living in far-flung spots around the globe and having completely different everyday lives from one another, we can actually get really cool answers to the dreaded “what did you do this weekend” question.
Even when we aren’t working on projects together, we aim to do bi-monthly or monthly meetings to catch up. We talk about our struggles or celebrate each other’s wins. In fact, we seriously celebrate each other’s wins. After awesome meetings with clients, we call each other for cheers.
While working in an agency, I faced far too many soul-sucking endless meetings that could have been short and sweet emails. Now, I jump at the chance to connect in a way that actually adds value. Spending five minutes having a relaxed bitchfest or chat about whatever builds rapport and connection is something that an email could never replace.
Team Isn’t Just a Four-Letter Word
Loneliness is a very real issue in the world of remote work and freelancing. When you are sitting alone in a room for eight hours a day, it isn’t easy to stay energised. Whether it’s talking about your co-worker’s chilli pepper plant or venting about a design that is 1000% right for the client but they just can’t see that yet, sometimes you need to chew off someone's ear about it.
Just as importantly, who doesn’t like to feel like they are part of something bigger? And that what you’re doing is part of something bigger!
Know When To Piss Off
Eschewing the idea of the 9 to 5 doesn’t mean that you’re obliged to work every other hour of the day. Define your schedule and respect the timetables of everybody that you work with. Flexible workers are happy workers, so create space. Whether you are the boss, client, or needy assistant, be mindful of when people need to sleep, pick up the kids, or just disappear into the darkness of night.
Working with an international team, the world clock app is my best friend. Sending an urgent message at 3 am isn’t doing anybody any favours. Even if you’re not expecting an instant response, having a phone that is lighting up 24 hours a day blurs the line between work and play (also known as wine).
Ditch the Formality
F*ck formality. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Whether we’re talking about clients or colleagues, communication is better when you talk to people like they’re people. When you chat with your clients the same way as you talk to your friends, they see the real you. And, very importantly, they see your passion. Dropping the pomp (love that word) and circumstance makes it easier to actually see people, which creates better communication and thus better design.
And Leave Them To It
But sure, people can be annoying. Whether it’s your best friend or your web designer, great minds don’t always think alike. During those beating-your-head-against-a-brick-wall-conversations, it’s essential to be mindful of the fact that you’ve got the same goals in mind. Some people do indeed have completely different approaches to the same problems, especially when they come from a different field.
Building the Design-Hungry team, my goal was to hire enthusiastic geniuses who stand out in their field. Almost everyone I hire for client work is someone I’ve worked with before or they have come through a bloody brilliant recommendation so I know they're the dog’s bollocks. Knowing they are the best, it is easier to take a step back and forget about all that micromanaging bs. And, that’s when the magic happens.