Creating a robust virtual workforce at 6AM City
Pandemic year shifts helped forge even stronger company connections as we look toward expansion across the US.
One day last November, our Asheville, NC-based team said goodbye to our office. Seven months into widespread forced closures caused by COVID-19, 6AM City had decided to go remote — and the change was going to be permanent. Like many other companies (an estimated 4.7 million workers clocked in virtually last November alone), we had been thrown into the deep end of “work from home.” We discovered that we thrived there.
While our offices were hubs of daily connection and inspiration located in some of the best, hippest real estate in the cities where we publish our daily email newsletters, we already knew that the strong relationships we have with our team members and our followers (1.3 million of them and growing) aren’t just created through physical proximity. But what else underpins a successful virtual workforce? We needed to find out, all while balancing the other challenges 2020 had thrown our way.
Over the next few months, we developed our own “secret sauce” for remote work. Now, as we’re planning an expansion into a total of 24 markets by the end of the year, we’re taking what we’ve learned with us as we welcome new team members and the cities they call home.
Curious how we’ve transitioned so smoothly to being remote from a daily workflow that used to be fully in-office? Here are five tips that worked for our team.
Connect often, IRL.
Investing in people drives the greatness of our products. 6AM encourages staff to connect on a personal and professional level — and backs this up by giving everyone a $250 stipend each month to cover costs at local coworking spaces and drop-in offices. Plus, everyone receives an additional $50 a month for food, beverages, and activities connected to celebrations (like birthdays and workaversies) and internal and external culture building (like grabbing coffee with influential community members and welcoming interns). Financial support, combined with encouragement and opportunities for team members to meet in person (most teams set a goal of once per week for a half-day) helps us get out of our home offices and into the cities we love.
Create your space.
Okay, most of us have been guilty of working from the bed at some point. But the more you can separate your workspace from the rest of your living space, the better you’ll feel. And here’s the secret — you don’t actually need a lot of literal space to do it. A simple work nook, complete with a good desk and comfortable chair, your favorite pens and notebooks, and a piece of beloved art or a plant, is just the ticket. 6AM also reimburses team members for office supplies, including the purchase of that desk and chair, and provides a monthly stipend for in-home internet service that’s included automatically in each paycheck.
Bonus: We’ve all had days when even our perfectly decorated home offices aren’t fit for Zoom calls. Our graphic designer made Zoom backgrounds that any of us can use when we’d rather not put our spaces on display (check out that skyline view).
Keep it balanced.
Except in the case of late-breaking news, schedules at 6AM fit into an eight-hour workday, and team members are encouraged to log off when that workday ends. Even before the pandemic and our move to virtual workspaces, 6AM emphasized the importance of work/life balance, and that value has been reiterated again and again as we’ve faced difficult news cycles, potentially isolating lockdowns, and, finally, saying farewell to our physical offices. Although we’re talking to each other online more than ever now, we also get plenty of reminders to unplug. Tips, including suggestions about how to break the day into working blocks to stay refreshed and focused, are now a part of our official employee handbook.
6AM is mindful of afterwork hours, so I’ve never run into a circumstance where I had to be working outside of normal hours unless it was a unique situation. Being able to unplug and truly disconnect when I’m off work has been a major difference to prior companies — where I never felt like I could unplug, even on weekends. — Kimberly Cutler, 6AM City Growth Manager
Bring the team in on conversations.
Even with days built in for face-to-face time, working remotely can get lonely. It can also make different departments feel disconnected — even if they directly support one another. At 6AM, we encourage participation in all-team Slack channels and all-hands meetings, where staff, managers, and leadership can share not only what’s happening in their workdays, but also bigger picture goals and ideas, including feedback on product and workflow. A recent question posed about how brand websites might be redesigned netted over 30 responses from across all departments in one of our Slack channels in less than 30 minutes.
Have fun.
Moving out of the office doesn’t mean company culture should fall by the wayside. In fact, you could argue that the money saved by not renting a brick and mortar space could be put toward even more culture-building. In the past year, 6AM staffers have participated (virtually) in escape rooms, magic shows, happy hours, and trivia games. We also started a lively book club that meets once a month to discuss a team member’s pick.
Make sure you’re not taking up off-hours with team events. Occasionally a happy hour or virtual retreat that spills over into early evening is okay, but be mindful of employees’ other priorities. Additionally, cutting into work time with fun events will just add to already heavy workloads if you don’t ease expectations around team members’ responsibilities, so ensure everyone has enough advance planning time and support in order for the event you’ve planned to be fun, not stressful.
One more tip: If your own organization is working remotely and doesn’t have a group of employees committed to company culture, it’s a great time to start one. 6AM’s CLTR Committee meets regularly to discuss company-wide celebrations and initiatives, like a day of service we just launched. It’s just one more way we prioritize company culture — and make sure that everyone gets to be a part of it.
