Why I Joined a Remote Team
It's been three months since I started working remotely. Three months since I left my previous job as a Software Consultant and joined Litmus as a Software Engineer — fully remote.
I have to admit I was hesitant about applying for this job as it was a remote position, and I wasn't sure if this was the kind of job I was looking for. I was more interested in getting a job in an office, where I could work side by side with other people, doing pair programming, having lunch with my coworkers, and all the things we do when working with others in the same place.
During the last four years, I worked in an open-plan office, surrounded by ~50 people, with all the amenities and perks you can imagine. And the office wasn't even far away from my place: around 7 minutes by car, or 20 minutes by bike.
At this time, I couldn't imagine myself working "isolated" at home, with no one around to talk to, missing all those hallway conversations, and having to endure the summer weather with no AC. Nope. Not even possible to imagine such a thing.
But, an opportunity suddenly appeared: I started the interviewing process at Litmus with curiosity about the company and its remote-first culture. I already knew the product, and had heard great things about it. In some way, my gut was telling me this could be something good to try out. So I did.
Surprisingly, I truly enjoyed the interviewing process. And I say "surprisingly" because before applying at Litmus, I had gone through a few rounds of interviews with other tech companies, and the screening experience had not been the most enjoyable thing in the world, to be honest.
But this time was different. And there's no doubt this was a deciding factor for me: After some video-interviews, a code challenge, and an on-site interview, I realized this wasn't an average company and that the team was fully committed to their work. I saw that the people over at Litmus were very smart and enthusiastic about building something great for their customers. But most importantly, that they were kind, thoughtful and happy.
That's the kind of people I wanted to be surrounded by — either physically or virtually. This was the mind-changer, and what made me want this fully remote position.
Embracing change
This new way of working was really new for me! Why? First, because it's a product based company, and the work dynamics are significantly different from consultancy companies. Or, at least it is for the engineering team. I was used to work in a slightly different way, reporting directly to a client, and having different priorities and practices.
Second, communication. As a remote worker, communication is vital. It's how you make yourself visible, accountable, and reliable. But this is something I've learned along the way. While being in an office, showing up every day was enough to let my team know I was available. It wasn't really necessary to be online on Slack or any other communication tool, simply because I was a few steps away from my teammates. Now, these tools are crucial to do my work. That's how we all talk to each other and engage. It's how the teamwork happens.
But, the most challenging part for me was discipline. I have always considered myself a disciplined person. Still, I wasn't sure how I'd handle all the freedom I got when all this started out. But one more time, I gave myself permission to be open and try. So, I started to stick to a daily routine that would allow me to manage my work schedule and my personal life, without mixing them up (which I'd love to talk to you about in a later post). That's how, as the time goes by, I started to fully enjoy this remote life style.
What does this freedom mean?
Freedom is the first thing everyone thinks about when talking about remote work. And yes, I feel more freedom, but at the same time, I feel a strong need of contributing with my work, communicating what I'm doing, and being available and reliable for my coworkers. Here's where Uncle Ben's phrase (or Voltaire's, if you prefer) makes perfect sense: "With great power comes great responsibility". I couldn't agree more.
Remote work isn't synonymous for playtime. For me, it represents a huge commitment to my team, to the company and to our customers. Not only because I'm being paid, but because I'm being trusted. We all trust each other on getting things done, on delivering something valuable to the people who are using our product and are counting on our services.
I truly believe that when trust, transparency, and respect are involved, teamwork starts to happen.
Having this mindset and knowing that I'm (virtually) surrounded by extraordinary and talented people, is what makes me feel inspired and motivates me to do my remote work every day.
It's been three months since I decided to embrace this new way of working, and started to learn that being happy at work doesn't necessarily have to do with being in a nice office with all those popular perks. It's about being excited about your projects, feeling welcomed, empowered and included, and knowing that you're part of a team in which every person's contribution matters. For me, this is far more enjoyable and important than any ping-pong table, catered lunch, or in-office happy hours could ever be.
