Undeniable advantages, necessary requirements, and potential downsides of the "work from wherever you want" option. So, what does working remotely truly entail?
The benefits are evident. You can simply grab your computer and work from the local coffee shop or the other side of the world, allowing you to move, travel, explore, and enjoy life all over the globe, as long as you remain responsible.
Remote working isn't for everyone or every company. Offering remote work with a 9-5 schedule essentially means providing the option to work from a local coffee shop, which isn't quite the goal. As a company, we had to become as agile as possible.
As an individual seeking a remote job, you must be well-organized, disciplined, and able to resist the temptations that traveling or living abroad presents. With great freedom comes even greater responsibility, and you need to be aware of that. It's all fun and games, but if the job isn't completed, there's no point in having you.
During the dark days of COVID-19, working remotely became more of a necessity than an optional benefit.
However, we were already considering this option, so the pandemic gave us the final push—and it worked. As a Czech-based IT company with Czech employees and clients, our focus shifted overnight. We decided to expand—initiate international sales and hire globally.
We immediately switched the entire company to English and began hiring abroad. The talent pool grew exponentially, presenting a challenge but also offering a lot of excitement.
We knew it wouldn't be easy, but we chose to address problems as they arose.
We still have some hubs where people can go to work. We also have clusters of colleagues and organize events for them. How can we accommodate someone living on a different continent? We thought about it and then asked for suggestions. The answers varied—some wanted money, some wanted to attend events, and others desired something else.
The most crucial aspect is communication — not only for project management but also for HR and administration. We hold regular 1-on-1 meetings with all our employees and contractors, as well as evaluations every six months. Over the years, we've developed sets of questions and areas we need to actively engage in to ensure our remote team members feel as much a part of the company as those in the office. Otherwise, they might as well go freelance, right?
Communication
We have weekly technical meetings for the entire company, and once a month, we present news, successes, challenges, and the company's direction and goals. This has become more important than ever, as times are turbulent, and we don't want to leave anyone hanging.
Hey what about the money?
So, we established one rule — we would strive to meet specific needs and make our developers' lives as easy as possible.
The company provides you with work, money, tools, hardware, support, freedom, and most importantly, trust. You must be responsible. That's the bottom line, and it encompasses everything. We encourage self-managed teams; we're not here to parent you or bring you up. If you want freedom in your life, you need to learn how to prioritize and take care. We will meet you halfway in your schedule, always trying to adjust. But is it possible that you'll occasionally need to be accessible outside "normal" work hours? Absolutely. And is it likely that our project managers, team leads, or other personnel will need to respond to messages during evenings or weekends? Yes, that too.
No paperwork, contracts, or policies can replace trust, ownership, and pride in our work. We build relationships not just with clients but also with colleagues worldwide. We are prepared to make mistakes from time to time, misjudging people, companies, or even our abilities. We are also ready to accept responsibility for those errors. The successes—when everything works—are well worth it.
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