Part 1: Work from Home: The Benefits of Remote Work

COVID-19: Disrupting Lives and Workplaces

With the rise of COVID-19, lives are being impacted across the globe. From at-risk loved ones who have caught it to the economic reality of cancelled events and forced business closings to contain the virus, everyone is affected by this pandemic in some way.

One main recommendation from health officials, besides washing hands, is social distancing. In other words, stay at home! Social distancing must be done now – it will save lives.

For those who aren’t in critical jobs, like our amazing healthcare workers, this means people will either be forced to not work or work from home. We don’t take the repercussions from this lightly, especially as a small business ourselves. This virus is going to hit many businesses and workers hard, and this is to the backdrop of many issues facing the state of work in the United States, including the lack of paid sick time and safety net for workers.

We are aware of the privilege we have that our job allows us to work from home under any circumstance and understand many do not.

There has been a trend of more people working from home before the new coronavirus existed. Sociality Squared has embraced a distributed team for over 10 years. For those experiencing remote work for the first time or those who want to learn more about it, this is the first of a series on the benefits of working from home from our experience and how Sociality Squared manages a distributed team.

Company Benefits of Working from Home

Talent is Everywhere 

One of the key reasons why Sociality Squared embraces a distributed team is because we know and embrace that talent is everywhere and not just in the coastal cities. Companies get access to the best person for the job when geography isn’t at play. S2’s talented and diverse team lives and works across the country, in different time zones. I’m based in Cincinnati, OH, along with one of our content strategists and we’ve got a community manager based in Tulsa, OK, to name a few examples.

Diversity includes Location

Diversity comes in many forms, including location. Our talented team is passionate about connecting people around what they value and love, building communities, and helping our clients reach their goals. Due to the fact we can live anywhere, it actually helps us better understand our clients’ customers. Our experience with people across the country – our neighbors, family, and friends – helps us know who we are reaching and how to resonate with them more.

Flexibility and Freedom for Workers

Remote work also allows the team flexibility to do what they love, no matter where they live. If I want to move from Cincinnati to the beach, I can do that without missing a beat in my career. That’s invaluable. I don’t feel stuck somewhere because of my job. I can travel. I can pet my dog as I write this blog post.

There’s a sense of freedom that comes with a flexible work schedule.

There are some small everyday benefits when you work from home too. First, no commute! No sitting in traffic or riding the subway, no getting frustrated with merging or crowded cars. You don’t have to worry about parking or transportation. You wake up and voila, you’re already at work. If a delivery person comes between the hours of 10-2. You are home to greet them or sign for your package.

Better for Health and the Environment

Distributed teams also contribute to a smaller carbon footprint without commuting and working more digitally. And when it comes to food, you don’t have to pack a sad desk lunch – your entire pantry is at your disposal. You can eat whatever you want when lunchtime hits. Need a quick 10-minute power nap? As long as you don’t have a meeting or pressing work that has to get done this second, no one is going to judge or know if you close your eyes for a re-fresh.

Behind Every Screen is a Person

We recognize that behind every screen is a person and that philosophy starts with our own team. While we are physically apart, we are still a family company that respects and raises each other up. That’s the biggest thing to remember – you’re still a team even if you don’t share an office plan. Our team is agile and ready to work.

Teamwork makes the dream work, wherever you’re located!

You can’t go into managing a distributed team without a plan. Companies need to set a strong foundation for communication and project management. Next week I’ll share S2’s remote work approach, so check back and be sure to sign up for our monthly newsletter to never miss any news: