From One Roof to Bring Your Own Roof

I got a little taste of remote working pre-Covid, I was working for a local granola and brownie company (school hours – five days a week) when I got the call from Shelley, it was September 2019 and it was time. Time to launch One Roof Agency! I put my business hat on and headed out the door, I had a laptop to buy and a Xero subscription to set up. Unlike the rest of our newly formed team who were in Sydney working from Shelley’s apartment (soon to be transformed to ORA HQ), I would be working remotely (part time) from Victoria around the job I already had.

Fast forward to Covid times and the team moved out of the Sydney office and into their own home offices, we were now five strong and scattered along the East Coast of Australia – QLD, NSW and VIC.  We needed to work out how remote working looked for our team of five staff in three states, a mix of nuclear, blended and single parent families, 10 kids and 9 furbabies. Day to day working might look a little different for each of us now, but we knew it would be flexibility and trust that would keep this well oiled machine running smoothly.

Here are some things we do day-to-day and have learnt along the way:

• We get the mindfulness, exercise and kids out of the way early ?
• We communicate. Connection is strong for us with the likes of Slack and Zoom!
• We’re generally all online through the days but when need be, we duck out if we need to duck out. We put the washing on, and try not to forget to go and hang it out when the machine stops.
• We help one another wherever it’s needed.
• We have a job to do and we get it done, so if potatoes need to be peeled for dinner and we have a spare five minutes, we’re going to peel the potatoes. Happy team, happy work life right?! ?
• If you’re sick, you still have sick leave – take care of yourself. Unplug and rest.
• Kids will be kids, if they’re home, they may need your attention. Give it to them, we get it.
• If we feel stuck, blocked or a little housebound and need a walk around the block, we head out and clear our heads.

It’s been eighteen months of learning, personal growth and trying to get that work/life balance from home, but all in all working under our own roofs works well for us and we’ll continue to do so! With an annual workshop thrown in for IRL work, fun and laughter.