Back to The Office - 6 Months Later

It’s the 7th of July, exactly 6 months to the day that I went back to the office after working remotely. I wrote about my first week back in January of this year. Now I have been at Contino for a while, I thought it was time for an update and review on what it has been like. I should also say the other reason that has prompted me to do this is that I am currently on a flight back from Madeira and being a nervous flyer, I need to do something to take my mind off things.

Ok, I need to confess, I am now writing this almost 7 months into my time at Contino! I am sitting in a beer haus in Las Vegas, it’s my last day here and my flight has been delayed and not leaving until just after 2 a.m. I have time to try and get this blog post finally finished!

Commuting

Let’s start at the beginning, the journey to work. I have not had to commute to work since 2009 and when I did, I used to drive cross country for about 40 mins each way. I would avoid the A14, a very horrendous dual carriageway that has continued to become even more horrendous 10 years later. Between then and December 2018, my commute would consist of getting up, shower, dressed and walking to my desk at home. All of a 5-minute type of journey. 

These days, I take the DLR to Bank, exit at Monument and walk about 10 mins to the office which is located right opposite Liverpool Street Station. I love the walk, although I did need to figure out the system at first, the marching and which side of the pavement I should be on. Staying in lane if you like and knowing when to overtake. I am still not used to the sheer number of people who do this along with me. We do not speak but the majority have headphones on, part of the uniform, bleary eyed determined faces all heading to our various destinations along this route. 

The first couple of weeks were amazing, it hit me that I was in central London and surrounded by these enormous buildings. I have been living in London for almost three years, but it hadn’t really dawned on me where I was, as strange as that sounds.

As I walk, I remember that I always dreamt of working and living in London when I was a teenager. I had forgotten about that and all of a sudden it hit me, I AM DOING IT!

I listen to music when I walk, and it really helps clear my head and wake me up. Something that I struggled with when I worked remotely. I never really seemed to wake up properly. My favourite song at the moment to listen to is the Bolero by Maurice Ravel (this has of course since changed!). It works well with “The March” and I as look ahead and right and left everyone seems to be aligned with the rhythm. Sounds silly now that I am writing about it. 

I realise that I am incredibly lucky to have such a short and easy commute, not everyone has this. The DLR hasn’t always been running, so far, it has let me down 4 times and I have had to go in and come back a different way and experience a much more tougher commute. I also realise that this easy commute will change when I eventually move further out of London. I can safely say this does not phase me, but we shall see when it happens! Going home is a similar story although I am not as awake as I am in the morning. Also, all my other fellow commuters smell a lot nicer in the morning than they do when they go home (myself included!). 

Contino 6 (7) Months In

I passed my probation! Always a good start. I had been meaning to write a post about that when it actually happened after the 3 months but other things got in-front of that (and still have!) I do take the probationary period very seriously and I never for one minute assumed it would be in the bag. I have always felt that way about any new job I have been in. 

When it came to the meeting I was feeling extremely nervous. I couldn’t put my finger on it. I had no reason to be really, Contino is a place of great collaboration and smart people but also nice people who take the time to listen and share ideas. Same is true in the team I’m in which is extremely important to me, I can do a lot on my own but I can do so much more with other people. 

I just didn’t feel the same connection to “the team” when I worked remotely. Contino organises lots of social events to ensure that connection is maintained and you don’t feel isolated or cut off from the mothership. 

I think the nervousness came from just wanting to be told that I’m doing well (which I did btw). I have always had problems with my self esteem and confidence. I am working on that and I know I don’t need to do this on my own. There is mentorship available, not just on the technical side of things but also on the people aspect too. I have already reached out to one guy already. I will write more about that in a separate post about dealing with imposter syndrome.

It’s also been a while since I have been in a probationary period, I think I was winding myself up to be honest. I had been building up the trust with my manager and getting to know her as a person and a professional. I knew at the back of my mind that if there were any issues I would be told ahead of time.

Home Work

One of the challenging things about working remotely, certainly for me anyway, was being able to switch off. My work was at home and I would have long periods during the day of not speaking to anyone. I wouldn’t leave my house at all some days, I had no reason to.

What is it like now? 

- There are times when I can’t concentrate, particularly if I need to work on a deck. I always find them difficult to do at the best times anyway. The good thing is I can do that kind of stuff at home. I should point out this is my choice and it works well for me. There is also a floor in our building that I could also go to if I need a change of scenery or some quiet time. 

At home it is much quieter but then I go back to the not being able to switch off. I have been a keeping a record too of when my energy and concentration levels go down. Although I am not a morning person, I am at my best at that time. This was also the case when I worked remotely, but I was much more drained in the afternoon that I am now. 

Do you miss the freedom of not being able to work from anywhere?

- I wouldn’t say I miss it, it came in handy when my husband needed to travel for work. I could go with him. I would also visit my parents in France. Let’s remember, I was working and whilst it was convenient I was not on holiday. I can still work from home if I need to.

Do you like being in a office then?

- I like being in the Contino office and being around other Continis. That’s what has made the transition much easier for me. The office I’m in is nothing like one I have been in before. There is a great atmosphere and the people are genuine and good at what they do. There’s also a beer fridge and Prosecco. We are also not far away from Spitalfields Market and there are some great restaurants.

How well do you think you have adapted from 100% remote to office based?

- Surprisingly well. I am a shy extrovert so it takes me a while to get to know people and for them to get to know me. Initially, I was quite cautious and not assertive enough. Everyone has different approaches to their jobs but I knew I needed to observe, learn and adapt. This was evident in feedback I received at my 6 month check-in. I am feeling much more confident and this is also thanks to the people I work with who have been amazing in so many ways. Whether giving me their time or sharing their insights into how a consultancy works. They have really helped me. I honestly do not think I have brought my whole self to any company yet, Contino is the exception.

Final thoughts

As with anything or anyone Contino is not perfect. It’s growing massively and has a flat structure which could be difficult to scale. What makes it interesting and not scary is that they know this and are making positive changes. What’s amazing for me is that I get to be a part of that. The work Contino are doing with clients is also pretty cool and we have a lot of smart people and no egos.

I won’t say I will never work remotely again, I had limited options available to me and working remotely made sense. I think what makes and breaks it is the company culture you’re in but also you really need to think about what makes you tick as a person. I didn’t think about those things that much at all. I think I said this in the first post, I am truly grateful for all the talented people I worked with in the remote world. It was a great experience and I am looking forward to what comes next.