Remote Success Stories: Neil Barrington, Waypoint
From 👋 Remote, this is Remote Success Stories, an interview series exploring successful transitions into remote work in the technology world. Interested in transitioning to remote work? Want to chat with other fellow remote workers? Join our global remote work community at helloremote.life!
Our interview today is with Neil Barrington, an Operations Manager for Australia at Waypoint.
Who are you and what do you do?
I’m an operations manager for a company that implements cloud based technology solutions and processes for businesses globally. I work as the conduit between the client and our team, to ensure that projects are running smoothly.
What appealed to you about beginning to work remotely?
After a redundancy from a corporate role that had given the opportunity for remote working, I had already seen the benefits of not being solely office based. The lack of day-to-day distractions (and hours a day commuting) really showed me how productive I could be. When the opportunity for this role came up, it seemed like the perfect fit.
How did you first approach the subject with your employer? Had other employees been working remotely before you?
The business was already running remotely at the time I joined, and for me this had been a major selling point. The tools, and more importantly, the culture, were already in place, and this enabled me to slot into a newly created role quite easily.
What surprising things have you discovered about working remotely?
The entire team has willingness to work outside of what would be considered standard business hours. We work with clients all over the world, and this can mean very early or very late meetings. The flexibility of our remote roles means that we can adjust our days to suit these meetings, and still maintain a great work/life balance.
Have there been any downsides to beginning to work remotely?
There are obviously benefits to having everyone in the same room when it comes to quick resolution of issues, or a different perspective.
Are there any tools or software that you’ve found particularly effective?
Slack, Zoom, G Suite, Accelo.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Although remote work may not be for everyone, I am impressed with the amount of businesses that are now treating it as a standard part of their company culture.
Neil Barrington is an Operations Manager for Australia at Waypoint.
