It’s been an uncertain and unprecedented week for individuals and businesses around the world, particularly here in the UK. In the agency and tech sphere, we’re fortunate to have the tools and close-knit teams to make it possible to work from home. So we’d like to take a moment to congratulate the brilliant measures that many UK agencies have put in place to protect their staff, clients, partners and the general public!
We’ve seen a rise in virtual calls, the use of digital collaboration software - like Figma and Google Docs - and increasingly flexible working hours for those who still need to commute.
At CTI and and our sister agency Nublue, we’re now working as a fully remote team. We’ve put in place a few policies to make the transition easier for our teams:
1. Daily video meetings
We’ve always utilised tools such as Slack and Google Hangouts, but now we’re amping up their video functions to promote collaboration and teamwork.
Group call on Google Hangouts
2. Social Slack rooms
No matter what industry you work in, coffee break chat is essential to relationship building and mental wellness. We’ve created a tonne of Slack rooms - showcasing everything from pet havens, to star bakes - for our teams to continue to share their everyday working lives.
Honorary team member Mylo in the room #cti-canines
3. Hardware assistance
No screen? No problem! We’ve taken every measure we can to ensure that our team have the best possible home office, even if that means borrowing a screen or two from the office. Every single staff member has access to a supportive chair, second screen, keyboard and mouse, so they can transform their laptop into a full office set-up. Physical comfort while working at home goes way beyond the chance to work in your slippers.
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A home office with a view
4. A CTI and Nublue Podcast
Finally, something that has been brought forward by COVID-19, not pushed back: we’ve been planning to host an internal podcast for a while and we’ve finally done it! A podcast is a great way to share important and/or entertaining company news whilst maintaining a bit of personality (which can so often be lost in an email). We’re supporting our team by sharing physical and mental wellbeing advice as well as internal news from individuals and the company.
Recording the pilot of our company podcast
We’d like to say a collective ‘well done’ to all of the companies who are taking action to protect their staff, either remotely or on-site. While we’re only a week in, I’ve already noticed people being kinder to each other on projects and in everyday life. In this uncertain and unprecedented period, we must remember that we’re in this together.
Let us know what your company is doing to make social distancing a little bit easier and we might learn something too! #oneteam
