Home Is Where The Office Is
How we're consulting in our Pajamas
Picture this: it's a bright and sunny Monday morning, and instead of rushing to an office, you're cozily snuggled up on your couch with your laptop, sipping on your favorite coffee blend. Sounds dreamy, doesn't it? Well, for my consulting team, this is our new reality. Gone are the days of pricey office rentals, long commutes, and restrictive dress codes to please ‘professionalism’. Instead, we've embraced the world of remote work and are consulting from our couches, anywhere and everywhere.
In this article, we'll take you on a real journey of how we made the transition from traditional office work to a more flexible and convenient lifestyle. we'll also share with you the challenges we've faced along the way, from finding the right work-life balance to ensuring productive collaboration in a remote environment as a team.
But don't worry, it's not all doom and gloom. We'll also be spilling the beans on the hilarious, heartwarming, and downright bizarre experiences we've had as a team working from home. From accidental spouses’ cameos on video calls to the joys of wearing pajamas to virtual meetings, we've certainly had our fair share of memorable moments.
And, of course, some practical tips and tricks that have helped us save money, increase productivity, and stay connected as a team. Whether you're a seasoned remote worker or new to the world of consulting from home, you're sure to learn a thing or two from our experience.
So, grab your coffee or tea, get comfy on your couch, and let's dive into the exciting world of remote consulting – it’s going to be a long interesting read.
Our team consulting from home
As consultants, we are used to working long hours, meeting tight deadlines, and pleasing demanding clients. But there's one challenge that has always been a thorn in our side: office rent and huge utility bills. As a small team, we simply couldn't afford the high costs of traditional office space in the city center. And even when we found a space that was within our budget, we were stuck with inflexible leases and long commutes that ate up valuable time and energy.
So, after years of running a traditional office, in January 2022, we decided to take a bold step and try something new: remote work. We realized that by consulting from home, we could save thousands of cedis (Ghanaian currency) on office rent and enjoy a more flexible and fulfilling lifestyle.
At first, we were a little skeptical about how remote work would affect our productivity and collaboration. We had only worked briefly from home during the lock down and it wasn’t what we expected. But as it turned out, working from home has been one of the best decisions we've ever made. We can work from anywhere in the world, at any time of the day, and with minimal distractions. And when we need to collaborate, we use video conferencing, instant messaging, and other digital tools to stay connected.
Of course, remote work isn't without its challenges. We've had to learn how to manage our time more effectively, avoid burnout, and stay motivated without the structure of a traditional office environment. But with the right mindset and approach, these challenges are more than manageable.
One of the best things about remote work is the money we're saving on office rent and high utility bills. We used to pay through the nose for a small space in the city center that barely fit all of us. But now, we're saving thousands of cedis every month by consulting from our couches. And the best part is, we don't have to worry about those annoying long commutes and traffic any more.
When my consulting team made the transition to remote work, we immediately noticed a range of benefits. For starters, we no longer had to endure long commutes or dress up in uncomfortable business attire. Instead, we could work in our pajamas if we wanted to (though we usually opt for something slightly more presentable to show respect to our clients and for ourselves).
But the benefits of remote work go beyond just comfort and convenience. We found that we were able to better balance our work and personal lives, with more time to pursue hobbies or spend with our families. And because we weren't confined to an office, we had more flexibility to work during the hours that suited us best. For example, some team members preferred to work early in the morning, while others were more productive in the evenings. This flexibility has helped us maximize our productivity and deliver better results for our clients.
The challenges of working from home
Working from home may sound like a dream, but it's not all sunshine and rainbows. My consulting team has faced its fair share of challenges since making the transition. One of the biggest obstacles we've encountered is the myriad of distractions that come with working from home.
Let me tell you, we've had some hilarious and embarrassing moments. One time, a team member's significant other accidentally walked in on a video call, leaving everyone red-faced and flustered. And don't even get me started on noisy neighbors and pets! But we've learned to adapt and overcome these distractions, using strategies like setting clear boundaries between work and personal life and using productivity tools like time management apps.
There are also some challenges we've had to overcome, like the temptation to nap instead of work or the occasional internet outage. But overall, it's been a fantastic experience.
One time, my neighbor’s dog started barking loudly during a client Zoom meeting. Quite sure many have had similar experience. I tried to quiet him down, but he just kept barking. Finally, I gave up and just told the client that we had to manage through the noise or reschedule, but the client chose to go through with the meeting. Needless to say, the client got a good laugh out of it - but, we were not lucky with other clients on some occasions.
Another time, I accidentally left my video camera on during a casual team meeting and my co-workers got a glimpse of my night underpants. I tried to play it off like I was going for a "lived-in" look, but we all know the truth. They never forget!
And of course, there's the classic story of one of our teammates Nana, forgetting to mute himself on a call and accidentally sharing some embarrassing background noise. We won't go into too much detail on that one, but let's just say it involved a particularly noisy blender.
One time, George, another teammate slept through his alarm and missed an early morning meeting. He woke up to a bunch of missed calls and emails from our team and had to apologize profusely for his mistake. Lesson learned: he always set multiple alarms!
We've had our fair share of "pajamas days" where we wear our comfiest clothes to work and during brainstorming, we all had a good laugh about it.
So, another challenge of working from home is dealing with unexpected interruptions. When Nana’s partner, again decided to get his attention for some assistance in the middle of a client conference call. We all tried to keep talking like everything was normal, but it was a bit distracting.
If you're struggling with distractions while working from home, don't worry - you're not alone. Some tips that have worked for us include taking regular breaks to stretch or go for a walk, doing some home chores, or investing in noise-canceling headphones to block out background noise. With a little trial and error, you can find the strategies that work best for you and make the most of your time working from home.
To overcome these distractions, we've developed some strategies to help us stay on track. For example, we've designated a specific workspace in our homes where we go to "work mode." This helps us mentally separate work from leisure and create a more focused environment. We've also experimented with different time management techniques, such as the Pomodoro Technique, to stay productive and avoid burnout.
The importance of setting boundaries
We must talk about this when you're working from home, it's easy for work to seep into every aspect of your life. We've all been there, checking emails late at night, answering calls during family time, and sacrificing our time for work. It's a struggle, but it's important to set boundaries to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
The team has had to be more intentional about staying connected and with our clients. We've made it a point to have regular virtual meetings and check-ins, which has helped us stay on track and feel more connected as a team. We've also had to be mindful of our work-life balance and not let work bleed into our personal lives too much.
When you're working from the same place you relax and unwind, and it can be challenging to separate the two. We've found that it's crucial to establish clear boundaries between work and personal life to avoid burnout and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
One of our team members, Sarah, found herself constantly checking her work emails outside of work hours and she’s not alone. I can also stay up throughout the night to finish some work or another. Initially, we felt like we needed to be available 24/7 to keep our clients happy. It wasn't until we started feeling burnt out that we realized the importance of setting boundaries. These stories are just a few examples of the importance of setting boundaries while working from home.
To create these boundaries, we've implemented some simple practices. Like, having specific start and end times for our workday, and we avoid checking our work emails or messages outside of these hours. We decided as a team to set specific work hours and communicate them clearly to our clients. We found that our clients respected our boundaries and our mental health has since improved. It's important to communicate your boundaries with your team and clients and to stick to them to maintain a healthy work-life balance
We've also made a conscious effort to create a physical separation between work and personal life. Such as trying not to work in our bedrooms or on our couches, as these are typically associated with relaxation and leisure.
The cost savings of remote work
As a team, we've had to figure out some practical ways to make remote work as smooth and effective as possible. One thing we've found is that it's really important to stay connected, especially when we're not physically in the same space. We've set up regular team check-ins and video calls to make sure we're all on the same page and can support each other.
One of the biggest cost savings has been eliminating the need for office rent. It’s huge for us, as office spaces in Accra, cost more than all the team’s salaries put together. This has allowed us to allocate more resources to our projects and clients. As the CEO of our company, I've always been mindful of our expenses. One of the biggest headaches I used to have was putting together rent and utility bills when at times we didn't have enough contracts to carter for bills. It was always a challenge to find an office space that was both affordable and met our needs.
We've also saved on commute expenses, which has been a huge plus. Instead of driving or taking public transportation to meetings, we've opted to meet clients at their offices or in public spaces like coffee shops or restaurants. We've even used hotel lobbies for meetings, which has added a touch of professionalism to our discussions.
Working remotely has also given us the flexibility to take on clients from different parts of the country and even the world. We've expanded our network and clientele base, and we're able to take on more projects than ever before. By not being limited to a physical location, we can take on clients with whom we may not have been able to work otherwise. Another way we've saved money is by not having to spend on fancy office equipment and furniture. We've found that we can accomplish our work just as effectively with a laptop and a comfortable couch. This has freed up our budget to invest in more important things like marketing and client acquisition and we've also been able to offer more competitive pricing without sacrificing the quality of our work.
And Yes, remote work isn't without its costs. We've had to invest a little in some equipment and technology to ensure we have everything we need to work from home effectively, especially stable internet connection. But overall, the savings have been substantial, and we've been able to redirect these funds into other areas of our business.
Overall, we've made great progress by working from home and saving on office rent and other costs. It's been a journey, but one that we're excited to continue.
So, what’s the future of working from the couches?
As we look ahead to the future of our consulting business, we can't help but wonder what the next chapter will bring. Will we continue to work from home, or will we eventually return to an office environment?
While it's hard to predict exactly what the future holds, we believe that the benefits of remote work are too great to ignore. Not only does it allow us to save money on office rent and commute expenses, but it also gives us the flexibility to work on our terms.
Of course, some challenges come with working remotely. One of the biggest is maintaining a strong company culture and sense of teamwork. But we've found ways to overcome this, such as regular video meetings, team-building activities, and virtual social events.
As for the future, we think that remote work will continue to play a big role in the consulting industry. More and more companies are recognizing the benefits of this model, and are adopting flexible work policies to attract top talent. We believe that this trend will only continue to grow and that our team will continue to thrive in a remote environment.
More so, we're also open to the possibility of returning to an office environment in the future, if it makes sense for our business and our clients. But for now, we're enjoying the freedom and flexibility that comes with working from home, and we're excited to see where the future takes us.
Here are some thoughts and predictions on the future of consulting and remote work:
For one, the pandemic has shown that remote work can be just as effective as in-person work for many types of jobs. This means that consulting firms can potentially save money on office space and other expenses by allowing employees to work from home.
Additionally, the rise of digital tools and platforms has made it easier than ever for consultants to work remotely and collaborate with clients and team members around the world. This means that even if some companies require in-person work, consulting firms can still work with clients remotely.
It's also worth noting that the nature of consulting work itself can make remote work more feasible. Consultants often work on short-term projects, which means they may not need to be physically present at a client's location for long periods. This flexibility can make remote work a more viable option for consultants compared to other professions.
All of these factors suggest that remote work will continue to be an important part of the consulting industry in the future. However, it's also possible that some companies may prefer in-person work for certain types of projects or clients. The key for consulting firms will be to remain flexible and adapt to the needs of their clients while also taking advantage of the benefits of remote work.
As remote work becomes more commonplace, we can expect to see some significant changes in the consulting industry. Here are a few potential predictions for the future:
Increased demand for flexible, remote consulting services: As companies become more accustomed to remote work, they may seek out consulting services that can be delivered remotely as well. This may open up new opportunities for independent consultants and small consulting firms that specialize in remote work.
Greater use of digital tools and platforms: The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital tools and platforms for remote work, and this trend is likely to continue in the consulting industry. Consultants may increasingly use virtual collaboration tools, project management software, and other digital platforms to deliver services and communicate with clients.
A shift towards outcome-based consulting: With remote work, it becomes more difficult for consultants to demonstrate their value through their physical presence or time spent in the office. As a result, we may see a shift towards outcome-based consulting, where consultants are paid based on the results they deliver rather than the hours they work.
Hybrid work arrangements: While remote work has many benefits, there are still some situations where in-person collaboration is necessary. As a result, we may see more hybrid work arrangements in the consulting industry, where consultants split their time between working from home and working in the office or at client sites.
Greater emphasis on work-life balance: With the rise of remote work, many people have come to appreciate the flexibility and work-life balance that it offers. This may lead to a greater emphasis on work-life balance in the consulting industry, with more consultants seeking out opportunities that allow them to work from home or have more control over their schedules.
Technology will continue to play a key role: Technology has been a crucial enabler of remote work, and we expect that this trend will continue in the future. As technology continues to evolve, we may see new tools and platforms that make remote work even more effective and efficient.
Collaboration and communication will remain important: While remote work has many benefits, it can also pose challenges when it comes to collaboration and communication. To be successful in the future, consulting teams will need to be adept at using tools and strategies that facilitate collaboration and communication across distances.
Flexibility will be key: One of the biggest advantages of remote work is the flexibility it provides. As the consulting industry evolves, we expect that clients will increasingly demand flexible solutions that can be adapted to their unique needs and circumstances.
Finally, the future of consulting and remote work is likely to be shaped by ongoing technological advancements, changing work habits, and evolving client needs. While AI is accelerating some of these changes, it's clear that the consulting industry will continue to adapt and evolve in the years to come.
…Do well out there!