The pandemic came with many ups and downs, but working from home was one of the "ups" that appealed to many employees. For example, most workers (97%) hope to be able to work from home in the near future.
After the pandemic, many employees and businesses transitioned to a hybrid working paradigm that combines the advantages of working from home and in an office. JLG Consulting also adopts this model, but in some cases, there are a few employees that work the whole time remotely. I'm one of them and this is because I function as a one-person team at the moment. Nevertheless, I still interact with colleagues to share the big picture of company culture outside the office walls, as I'm going to do in this article.
Obviously, just like remote work, hybrid work is highly beneficial for work-life balance, which I learned from talking to other colleagues.
So, how do I feel about being part of the JLG team even though I am nearly 450 kilometres away from the office? What do I appreciate about the company's culture?
I'll start from the beginning because it may be necessary for those who want to join the team soon or start their programming journey with us by applying to JLG Academy.
1. Smooth and transparent recruitment process
From the first interaction with JLG Consulting, things were straightforward, and the whole process went as initially conveyed to me by my future HR colleague. Depending on the position, things can be different. Still, in my case, the 3 phases were well structured. I found all the necessary information and provided the required information so we could realize that it was a great match between the company and me.
2. Growing together
It is one of the things that JLG people emphasize, and I felt it since I've joined it. Right from the start, I received the support I needed to learn as much as possible about the product I'm working on, SkyRoster. Even though I am a remote employee, that didn't stop me from interacting with key people involved in developing this product and getting the information I needed to provide relevant content to our audience, the "eyes in the sky" - Air Traffic Controllers.
3. Weekly productive meetings
As I mentioned, even though I am a one-person team, I interact weekly to align my plans with the business development department. As a study shows, the average duration of a remote meeting has fallen by 25% from 2020 to 2022, from 43 minutes to 33 minutes. This is also true in our case. Meetings are organized and sometimes last less than 30 minutes because we set and establish clear objectives and expectations. Besides, even if the meeting is short, it is highly productive and I feel that my opinion and ideas are supported.
4. Virtual evaluations and objective feedback
Our mind tends to fill in different scenarios if we don't have the whole story. For example, being a remote employee may not always be in bright colours because the interaction is less common than it is for those who work hybrid or full from the office. Because of this, there can sometimes be moments of uncertainty. I say this from my own experience and the experiences of other professionals working remotely. However, JLG has managed to fill in the gaps in my story or moments of uncertainty by doing virtual evaluations based on the impact of my work every three months. Also, objective feedback from both parties does our work as efficient and enjoyable as possible.
5. Flexibility at its best
A flexible schedule is essential; it is not just a fairytale to attract new talent. The fact that I can prioritise my personal life in certain situations and get back to doing my tasks without time pressure is terrific.
6. Being involved in extra activities
The fact that the team embraces my involvement in other activities that are not purely marketing or communications-related helps me get to know the team and interact with them so I can have a broader view of the culture. And it is also cool that the interaction is delightful, even though I haven't seen most of them in real life.
7. Work-life balance
Going back to my initial point, this balance is also supported. Other things I have noticed from my almost 9 months as a remote employee in JLG Consulting is that time and boundaries are really respected.
Are we on the same page?
If you align with our company culture, we encourage you to apply for one of our open positions. You can also join JLG Academy if you are at the beginning of your career journey and want to learn and put into practice your programming skills.