Remote Work's Silver Lining
Finding the silver lining of working remotely
The discoveries that Casey Boyd, software engineer, found in that silver lining.
Augustwenty has a hybrid work environment. Some folks work primarily from home, while others work at a client site. The company also has open office space for the convenience of anyone who wishes to get some work done away from their home setting or to collaborate with other members of the team. While many of augustwenty’s employees work from home, I had the opportunity to talk with Casey Boyd, one of our software engineers, about the benefits of working remotely and overall tips to help stay engaged with the company as a whole.
Casey currently works part of the year in Ohio and the other part in Arizona. He originally joined augustwenty because of the people that preceded him. He had worked with many of them in the past and recognized their industry-leading knowledge and skills and was highly motivated to work with them again. Aside from working with amazing people, Casey discovered a hidden perk and achieved a personal dream—the ability to live in Arizona during the winter while still maintaining his career with the company he loves.
The adjustment of working full time in an office to 100% remote is a unique challenge and can potentially feel isolating, as many discovered during Covid. As Casey describes, “working in an office environment provides constant collaboration with others, ample social interactions, and days can go by much faster.” However, now that he’s experienced full-time remote work, Casey has discovered a whole new set of benefits—all of which outweigh those of working in an office.
Time Savings. Eliminating the daily commute means extra time in the mornings and evenings (either to catch up on life or even be more productive when it comes to work).
Less Distractions. Remote life cuts down on the typical interruptions that come with a traditional office setting but also still allows for social connectivity via scheduled meetings, collaborative chats and virtual happy hours.
Flexibility. You can truly design your day while working remotely. Sunny day outside? Take that meeting from your patio. Or better yet, use the time that would have been spent on “water cooler chats” in the office and take your dog for a quick afternoon walk instead. Not only is your dog thrilled, but your brain is now also ready to refocus on the task at hand.
Healthy Life Choices. Working from home puts you more in control of your daily diet. When your own kitchen is just steps away, there’s no need to hurriedly pack a lunch every morning or make poor (and expensive) decisions in the cafeteria or nearest fast food restaurant.
Work-Life Balance. Echoing point number one, the time saved each week can be put towards hobbies to stay inspired and recharge. For Casey, that means hiking desert mountain trails and volunteering as a wrangler at a ranch where he grooms, feeds and tacks horses for trail riding.
Staying engaged with the company overall hasn’t been an issue for Casey because, as a “consultant,” he has continuous interaction with his team, whether it be through meetings, discussions, or coding together. It is a personal preference as to how much social engagement an individual wants or needs from their career, but when working remotely any engagement becomes more purposeful—not just a brief comment in passing. Things Casey finds beneficial that may resonate with others include:
Quarterly company meetings (virtual or in person when possible)
Virtual happy hours both with co-workers and clients
Real-time collaboration with co-workers on challenging projects
Regular company retros can also be a productive tool to give team members the opportunity to share ideas and discuss successes and areas for improvement
All of these and more keep him connected to the heartbeat of the company and in touch with his peers.
Are you working remotely? What suggestions do you have for remaining connected?
We would love to hear from you.
For more about our overall company culture, check out our opportunities page.
