Why We’re Proud to Be One of the
World’s Fully Remote Companies
Uhuru has implemented tools, systems, and best practices to make remote work not only possible, but also efficient. Other remote companies may do things differently, but we have found a way to optimize our resources and skills without losing the quality of work output.
Due to the direct effects of COVID-19, many people have been required to test out the remote work lifestyle for themselves. We believe that, like us, you might realize that working from home is far more productive, practical, and enjoyable than working in a traditional office environment. So, we’re here to pass along some of our work-from-home knowledge as seasoned veterans of the remote workforce.
Why Did Uhuru Choose To Be Remote?
We believe that diversity is a business’s greatest asset. Working with coworkers that come from all walks of life encourages people to challenge their way of thinking. And what better way to broaden our talent pool than by widening our search for passionate, hardworking individuals across the globe?
Several years ago, we made the switch to become a 100% remote team so that our employees could create the work-life balance they deserve. As one of the few truly remote companies out there today, our fully distributed team is able to set their own schedules to make time for family, travel, fitness goals, and anything else they value in life.
Remote Work Benefits
Remote companies can provide many benefits for both employers and employees. Read on to see some of the biggest reasons Uhuru decided to become a fully distributed company and enable the team to work from home for good.
For Companies
Increased Productivity
A survey conducted by Airtasker revealed that remote workers spend less time talking to coworkers about nonwork-related topics and are more productive with the time they spend doing work than office employees. Without distractions or interruptions, remote workers find that they can work much more efficiently outside of the traditional office setting.
Reduced Costs
A 2015 study conducted by the Stanford Graduate School of Business allowed China’s largest travel agency, Ctrip, to save nearly $2,000 per employee on its rented office space simply by utilizing the space more efficiently. With more employees working from home, the company was able to make cost-effective changes that benefited both their employees and their budget.
Competitive Edge
With the modern technology available today, there is no reason for most employees working desk jobs to be forced to come into an office every day. Remote companies understand this. Offering partial or full-time telecommuting to employees gives your business a competitive edge and provides flexibility for those who want or need it most — like millennials, working parents, and individuals with disabilities or chronic illnesses.
For Team Members
No Commute
There are few things worse than sitting in a sea of cars knowing you could be spending that time with family and friends. Remote work cuts that hassle completely. No more car horns, no more 5 p.m. traffic. Remote workers can maximize their time and spend it on the important things in life.
No Dress Code
Whether they have a traditional office or are fully distributed, companies around the world are recognizing that not all employees need to wear a suit in order to do their job well. Unless they have a video call with a client, employees don’t have to worry about dressing up when they work from home. If they are most productive in their pajamas, then they can wear their pajamas all day!
More Freedom
With flexible work hours, employees have the freedom to set their own schedules to ensure they’re the most productive they can possibly be. Our employees that have children, pets, or who care for aging parents find this freedom especially beneficial.
Remote Work Best Practices
Now you know some of the incredible benefits of working for a remote company — but you may be wondering how we’ve been able to find success in our fully distributed setup. Don’t we get distracted sometimes? How can working from home actually be more productive? How do we make sure projects stay on task?
The answer is yes, yes, and … hyper-communication.
We don’t credit our success to each individual’s immensely powerful self-discipline and “hustle” mindset. While it does take a certain level of willpower and drive to be a good remote worker, we make sure that our employees have the right systems and tools in place to find success.
Transparent Schedules
At Uhuru, employees are encouraged to share their daily schedules on their calendars. With different time zones, work hours, and lifestyles, we need to make sure that every team member shares everything on their calendar — including personal events like workouts, meals, and social time. This way, an employee in California can check to see what their coworker on the East Coast is doing before they call during dinnertime or their evening routine.
This practice is also extremely helpful for scheduling meetings and calls, as different time zones mean doing a lot of mental math to try to figure out when everyone will be available. With tools like Google Calendar, we can simply select the team members that need to join a call and find a time that works for everyone.
Hyper-Communication
Just because we are a 100% remote company doesn’t mean we’re removed from each other. Hyper-communication is our biggest key to success — without it, we wouldn’t be able to operate as efficiently and effectively as we do.
Simple practices — such as asking twice for confirmation on tasks, action items, and client communications — can make or break your productivity as a remote team. To read more about our best-kept internal communication secrets, read The Importance of Internal Communications in a Remote Work Environment.
Systems That Work
To find success in a remote work environment, it is also extremely important that distributed teams introduce systems that streamline operations. For Uhuru, that system is agile scrum.
Agile Scrum Is Everywhere
Scrum is not a concept that is unique to Uhuru — or even the marketing vertical. Many companies are adopting scrum so they can accomplish more in less time. As a digital marketing agency, the structured nature of scrum allows us to provide our clients value at a faster rate.
At Uhuru, we are able to evolve each week — or “sprint” — so we’re continuously becoming more efficient with our time and resources. Being a remote team does not impede our ability to produce incredible results every time because we operate in a scrum environment that supports each team member in doing their job well. To learn more about how Uhuru structures its marketing initiatives, read How Our Agency Uses Scrum for Agile Marketing.
Hear From Our Remote Team
So, you’ve heard how great—and productive—remote work can be. But you don’t need to take our word for it! Hear about the realities of remote work from some of our team members.
