3 things I was wrong about working in a remote team

Its been a year since I started working in Spoka. Coming from a more traditional organisational structure I was excited about working with remote teams. But also a tiny bit skeptical...

1.  Video conferencing sucks, right?

So, let’s start with the most obvious question. Why in the world would you join a company that builds and sells a product that you dislike so much? Well, the short answer is that I suppose it’s always good to challenge yourself! 😊

I was never previously a fan of conference calls in general; the same old stigmas that surround the technology seemed to affect me every time: shouting across meeting rooms tables, connection problems, trouble locating pins. Then you want to add video into the mix? No, thank you.

You’re all so vain

The first video call I ever took part in I felt completely awkward throughout. It’s a funny thing that you can feel completely self-conscious being on screen but not in person.

‘59% of people are more self-conscious on camera than they are in real-life’

A recent survey by conferencing solution High-Five showed ‘59% of people are more self-conscious on camera than they are in real-life’. So it appears I wasn’t alone.

But in the end it, just as in real life, nobody cares how you look in a meeting. Probably as they are all more concerned with themselves!

More productive than simply audio calls

After being indoctrinated into the Spoka way of video, 1 or 2 calls later and it just feels normal. And more than that, I started to see the benefits. Its more engaging and productive, generally – you can’t just mute yourself and do something else (at least not without some skill) and you can read the important facial expressions and cues as you would in real life that help guide the conversation or tone.

In fact, now I find it strange not to see someone's face in a call. Why are you hiding??

2.  Its not as productive as working in the same office

Surely you can’t get as much done without having colleagues within shouting distance? Well, to a certain degree you can’t if you’re not prepared properly. What I have learned makes this work is having the right tools and processes at your disposal:

• Shared spaces to manage your workload – asynchronous collaboration tools like Trello and Slack are vital to fill the gaps. Especially when you’re working in different timezones.
• Working to leaner methodologies – this is even more effective when working remotely and the opportunities to catchup with collegues are reduced. Focusing on only 1 or 2 things at a time means less time in meetings and more time getting things done.
• Reliable communication tools – for every purpose, be it quick messages through Skype or Slack. Or video meetings through tools like Spoka.

In the end, its not different to working with an agency or consultant that works offsite. Its all about how you manage the relationship.

3.  Its unsociable

Ok, so you’re not going to meet in the pub after work. Probably a big downside if you’re from the UK!

However, connecting with colleagues and teams remotely doesn’t have to be completely formal. In fact, I’ve witnessed more camaraderie within Spoka between people who have only met once or twice in real life - or sometimes never at all - than I have in traditional office spaces.

And I think again this shows the importance of video. Those social cues that you can only get from a face-to-face conversation are so important at building relationships and, maybe most importantly, ‘reading the room’!

More to learn and do

I’ve been surprised by how well remote teams can work. However, there are still some things that I find difficult.

Solving the whiteboard problem

Being a very visual person, I often want to use whiteboards to discuss ideas and still haven’t quite found a way to make this work completely. We have Cisco Webex boards, which are a superb innovation, but not always accessible. And apps such as Miro (I recommend giving this product a try), are effective, but in my opinion the technology is still not quite there.

I hope in the future we can solve this problem and would love to hear from anyone who has any other apps or tips on how to make this work.