Like many other companies, Mohavi has had to resort to working remotely during a global pandemic for the past couple of months. Our charismatic CEO, Anthony Vanoostendorp, has written a couple of thoughts about the pros and cons of remote working and how this method of working will be implemented at Mohavi in the future.
Mohavi is a brand-new company and we never got the chance to set up an office before the Coronavirus pandemic hit. Tampere, the city we are based in, has a great start-up ecosystem. Therefore we have had many opportunities to work together on our projects and building the company. Still for the most part we have worked remotely for our projects. There wasn’t a huge switch for us once this became enforced for a large part of the world’s workforce.
Office work doesn’t guarantee efficient work, but happy employees do
One of our top values as a company is to be an amazing place to work at. Offering flexible work times and locations has been shown to boost employee morale. We don’t think workers should have to ask for permission to do something as simple as come into work at a different time than usual. This doesn’t apply to every field of work, but at your average office place it should be normal.
Communication is key within any organization and here at Mohavi we also have great online communication. Our favorite platform to use is Discord. While Discord was meant for gamers, it has buffed up its communication tools for these times as well. One of the main ways people communicate within an office is online regardless. With the power of screen share and webcams, it can be just as easy to hold a meeting online as in person.
Many companies can also benefit from the skills a remote worker might have. In addition, companies that allow remote work also tend to have access to a global talent pool. If a company already has basic procedures with remote work in place then it is easier to hire and manage remote workers.
Money can be saved with remote work for employees and employers. Companies can save up to 11,000 per year per employee that works remotely. Employees always save from not having to commute. Even if they work remotely 50% of the time they still save that much, as well as reducing their carbon footprint.
It’s not always greener on the other side
It can be hard to separate work from home and there are plenty of distractions, especially if you have kids! Your home and especially your home office play a huge role in how you can work. There are plenty of ways to avoid distractions and it is important to try out what works.
For those who have never worked remotely before can experience plenty of new challenges. It is important not to stress about productivity and it is okay to break up your work. Staying up to date with your co-workers and communicating regularly can help relieve stress about productivity. Also taking the time to set up personal workflow and “rules” can make future remote work feel natural.
Do we continue working remotely after the pandemic?
The team at Mohavi knows from personal experience that remote work has its challenges. The benefits of working together in person are real and we are still aiming to start renting an office space later this year. Staying open to new ways of working together and giving people the freedom to choose how they work is important and has proven benefits.
As always, you can Contact us at any time or drop us an e-mail at hello@mohavi.co
Until next time!
