As most of us at Iterable have had to learn the ropes of working from home these past several weeks, we have been fortunate to have some experts in our midst—20% of our employees who were already fully remote and thriving prior to the coronavirus outbreak.
A few of these folks shared their wisdom and experience to make for an easier transition for the company as a whole. From suggesting fun Zoom backgrounds to creating an ergonomic workspace to establishing a daily routine, Iterable’s mighty remote workforce became front and center on our Slack channels and in our virtual Town Halls.
They were the voices of comfort and reassurance that even though we wouldn’t all be together in our offices again anytime soon, nothing about our team connection was going to disappear because our culture isn’t location-dependent—it’s without borders and exists within each of us, intrinsically connected to our company values of Trust, Growth Mindset, Balance and Humility.
We sat down to interview several Iterable employees, both veterans and newbies of remote work, to understand how they’re adapting to the new normal. If you’re facing a similar situation, we hope their tips help you adjust and provide solidarity that when we’re all in this together.
Meet the Team
An Iterable Q&A on Remote Work
How do you stay connected to your team?
Connie: We’re active and chatty on Slack and Zoom, both about professional and personal topics. It’s been nice! When we could, we would also have in-person team on-sites and events.
David: I set up a 1:1 recurring meeting with various people at different frequencies just to catch up and check in with how things are going wherever they are located. I also try to use the time at the beginning of meetings to catch up with people before we actually start the agenda.
Kevin: We do daily stand-ups to share what we have going on in the day. I also have 1:1s with every team member every week and we’ve seen a big uptick in Slack activity and connectivity.
Iterable @ home in Cornwall, England. Photo courtesy of Hannah Francis, Sales Development Representative.
In what ways do Iterable’s core values support remote work culture?
John: Trust—Iterable trusts me to get the job one even when not in the office. Balance—A remote life is a perfect balance, which allows me to enjoy work and life at the same time.
David: Iterable’s core value of Balance supports all employees by providing benefits, such as fitness reimbursements for your gym membership and exercise equipment to stay healthy, as well as professional development stipends to continue growing and learning outside of work.
Patty: Balance I think is the best one right now: I feel super supported by my teammates and leadership to take time off to disconnect as much as I need. I also see a lot of Humility in terms of the leadership being able to pivot when something isn’t working or needs attention, and I appreciate that. Trust, in the ways that we are being transparent with our future and the adjustments we have to do while we are WFH.
People Team Movie Trivia Zoom. Photo courtesy of Melanie Graff, Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition
What would you like job candidates to know about what it’s like to be a remote employee at Iterable?
Connie: Iterable is not “normally” a fully-remote company, but all of my coworkers have been energizing, empathic and collaborative, regardless of our differing work environments. Everyone has been great about fostering a healthy work culture and is always thinking of more ideas to do so. No matter where we are or what time zone we’re in, we’re a team.
Niki: I’ve been working on onboarding our newest Solutions Consulting hires, and the feedback I’ve gotten from them is that our HR and People teams have done an amazing job of making them feel included even though they can’t meet anyone in person yet. We’ve done a great job of adapting to a fully-remote working culture, and everyone is mindful of making our new hires feel like a part of the team through virtual coffees and hangouts.
Patty: It’s great! Everyone is super eager to support and help you and will do their best to make you feel like you are a part of the team. Ask as many questions as you can and get involved as much as you can in the happy hours set in place and on the team Slack channels.
An unofficial teammate. Photo courtesy of John Leonard, Senior Partnerships Manager.
What’s a fun fact about you working remotely?
John: I make standing desks out of Amazon boxes. My dog likes to sit on my desk while I work. She weighs 70 lbs.
David: I keep a yoga mat next to my desk to stretch and take quick handstand breaks throughout the day. My tip for working remotely especially during this time is to try something enjoyable to break up the day—my favorite is baking between meetings.
Niki: I have a very active dog, but I’m also in a lot of external calls during the week—frozen Kongs have been a lifesaver for when I need him to be calm for 1-2 hours while I’m in meetings!
What has surprised you or what have you learned about yourself through the experience of working remotely?
Patty: I’m an extreme extrovert and am struggling to communicate via the written word. However, I am able to make time for myself after giving myself a break and stepping up my GIF game.
Niki: I didn’t realize how much I rely on commuting to separate my home life from work life. I find myself having to be a lot more deliberate about closing my laptop and ending my workday at a reasonable time.
Kevin: This team is very resilient and adaptable. Everyone has had to come together, and it’s been awesome to see how different groups respond and keep our sense of community. I love working for Iterable and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for their new work home. I’ve never been at a company that felt so connected and supportive—and even as a lot of us are doing something totally new in working from home, the company has rallied together to make it a great experience.
Remote Work, Close Community
Where only a small segment of the company would have been able to speak to remote work at Iterable a couple of months ago, this experiment—forced as it has been—has proven our sense of community and inclusivity.
Whether virtual or less-than-six-feet away, we do great work together, empowered by resources and transparency. We communicate, collaborate and get things done.
And with those results, if we can also spend less time commuting and more staying safe and healthy with our loved ones, then that’s a win for everyone.
Want to join the Iterable team? We’re actively hiring around the world, so check out our open positions on our Careers page.
