Some companies use the word “remote employees” to talk about their distributed teams. It fits, but also makes remote work sound distant and isolated. That is why we prefer the term working from Anywhere.
Approach Remote Work with an Anywhere Mindset
When people work Anywhere, they become better collaborators, gain more flexibility, and attain a better work balance. We sat down with three team members to discuss how working Anywhere is anything but remote.
100% Focus, Anywhere
Lead Client Account Manager Jean Buelna-Pastor is quick to set the record straight on the trope of working from home. “People have the wrong idea of working from home,” she says, “They think you’re just hanging out doing laundry. No, you’re sitting at your desk, working the entire time. It’s still a regular job, and you need to have 100% focus on your job.”
Having been with AnswerConnect since 2012, Jean has helped many new employees navigate their new roles and adapt to a distributed team. She has found video calling to be an invaluable resource for giving feedback, talking through any problems, or just connecting with each other. “I love being a mentor and helping other people on my team, or other teams.”
As a mother of four, Jean says the best thing about working from home is having more time with her family. (Being able to work barefoot is a close second.) “I feel very fortunate to have a job I can do from home, that I can schedule around my kids’ schedule,” she says. It really works for our family that way. I feel lucky.”
Staying Flexible
As the mother of three young kids, Client Experience Associate Brenda Sanchez has her hands full. Much of her free time is occupied by taking care of the children. Working from home and self-scheduling help her make the most of her time.
“Being able to pick my shifts has been the most awesome part of my job,” she says. “Before, I would never be able to make any of my kids’ events for school. Now I can enjoy dropping them off in peace, rather than just dropping them off and rushing to get to work.”
Brenda’s oldest daughter is autistic, and when she has an occasional bad day, the school will call Brenda in the morning to pick her up. A flexible work schedule allows Brenda to avoid working these morning hours and schedule shifts for those quiet hours when she knows her children will be asleep or occupied.
A Team Player
Account Executive Manni Sandoval leads a team from her home office in El Paso, Texas. For Manni, her role gives her a chance to develop her passion for coaching and teaching others. “I believe success truly is helping others succeed,” she says.
Manni’s passion for helping others isn’t limited to working hours. She’s very active in her children’s extra-curricular activities. When her son’s football team has an away game, she makes a hundred burritos so all the kids have plenty to eat. Most of the team, she says, don’t even know where the food comes from. Manni likes it that way. “I teach my kids you should do good because it’s in your heart, not because you want to be rewarded,” she says.
At AnswerConnect, Manni has been happy to find kindred spirits. “I’ve never worked for a company that understands human nature more than this one,” she says. “I appreciate how much everybody works together. I haven’t found a lot of pride or egos here, I’ve only come across people that want to help.”
