To Our Valued Clients and Friends:

One significant change for all of us this past year has been the explosion of remote work. Some of you may have already been doing this, even if just part-time, but I’d bet many of us have done a great deal more during the pandemic. And I think that, when the dust settles, we will find that remote work will be part of the “new normal” for a lot more people than it was before COVID-19 hit us.

For my team and me, this has been a relatively easy transition. Every one of us had already worked remotely at some time. We’ve been set up for that potential need since Katrina’s aftermath, and some of my team members, whom I’ll probably never meet in person, live in other states.

The flexibility of remote work is an excellent benefit, of course – and I’ve taken advantage of that. Having been through a bout of COVID-19 myself, I am leery of the city – let’s face it, most people don’t visit New Orleans to behave sensibly.

So, I have spent a lot of the past year working from one of my favorite vacation destinations, Park City, Utah. The scenery is glorious and gives my heart a sense of peace, and I’m an avid skier and mountain biker as well. The wildlife is an inspiration – I “shot” – with my camera, of course! – several deer and other animals while there. 

And I’ve packed up my family with me. My wife, Jennifer, can work remotely and our daughter, Meghan, is taking virtual Junior year courses at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky.

Of course, I love being there. The quiet helps me focus on my work away from the usual distractions and noise. Plus, getting the chance to quarantine with my beloved family has made the challenging time more rewarding. 

But Park City – and working remotely – have their own distractions.  There is something to be said for being a present part of my bustling team. That confidence and busy atmosphere can get lost, a little, when I’m a thousand miles away and I’ve found myself missing being in the office.

Then, when I return home, I miss Park City, it’s quiet and peaceful. The human paradox – we miss what we don’t have at the moment.

The option to work remotely had, of course, been picking up steam before the pandemic hit, but COVID-19 has jet-fueled it. Remote work or WFH,  in some form, either part-time or full-time, is likely here to stay – reduced driving reduces air pollution and of course commute time, and many employees love the flexibility. 

However, it’s necessary to have the proper remote work protocols in place to ensure the workflow doesn’t get disrupted. When all one’s team is working remotely, it becomes more difficult to ensure scheduled tasks are covered when an emergency arises for one or another of the team.

What are your thoughts on remote work over this past year and generally? What peaks and pitfalls have you encountered? And how do you maximize the one and minimize the other?

Please click here to email me directly – I’d love to know your experiences.

Feel free to share this email via the buttons below. 

Until next Wednesday – 

Peace,

Eric