Working remotely from home permanently is something new to most of us. Not seeing old colleagues or meeting new ones face to face, but instead meeting up and making introductions via Zoom, Skype, Teams and GoToMeeting is something no one would have predicted before 2020. But now, … it’s how we roll.

But can you build working relationships with colleagues when you never get to see or meet them? Does it work?

Here at Merlin, we have always had colleagues who worked remotely and never came into the office, mainly because they were in different parts of the country and even different parts of the world. However, most of us did work in an office, and we saw each other face to face, daily. Then it all changed.

How has it been? We have discovered that we are just as efficient and effective, if not more so when working remotely. The relationships we built when we were all in one office, together, have continued.

We probably communicate more than we used to as well. We find that meeting up via Skype is fine, just like when we all met in the office meeting room or around a colleague’s desk. It’s no different to picking up the phone to call your colleague in the office door office, rather than getting out of your chair and walking around to see them. 

There is one noticeable difference, now that we are all working remotely. There seems to be a greater feeling of camaraderie. A greater sense that we all have each other’s backs. There is a quicker response from many to a request for help when one of the team is overloaded or under pressure. These are all good signs and a positive outcome of working remotely. 

We still have our weekly project and support management meetings. However, they are just online rather than in person.

So it works with those you have already met and know. Will it work with new members of the team? We are about to find out.

We have sort of had a trial run with our Mauritian team. They did, however, at some point and pretty soon after they started, come to visit with us in the office in person. But by the time they visited, relationships had already been forged, remotely. 

Now, this exercise is going to go to the next level. We are busy expanding our developer team with new members in Mauritius and India. We’ve done this before, as I said. But then, we expected bringing the new team members to visit with us in the office.

Now, there is no longer an office and no longer one location where we are all together daily and can bring people together to meet. So let’s see. We have every expectation this will be fine, and we will build the relationships with ease. We will keep you updated in the coming months.

Why don’t you let us know how your working relationships are progressing and if you are working remotely? We look forward to hearing about your experiences. Just send us your comments and thoughts to info@quickmerlin.com.

Mike Pnematicatos

CEO and chief architect