As a working mother with a young child, DUO’s flexible and inclusive model helped me return to the workplace earlier than expected. Being a self-starter, prioritising workloads, and transparent communications was the key to career success.
Beyond just the flexibility being afforded, the broader adoption of remote and hybrid models has had a positive effect by providing work opportunities to those who might be unable to take on a standard, nine-to-five office-based job – for various reasons. In order to succeed in such an environment, however, you need to be a team player, proactive, be able to prioritise tasks, and do the work without someone being physically present to manage you.
While some companies are calling on their employees to return to the office either full-time or for the majority of the time, and some people enjoy going into the office environment, it is not suitable for everyone. When I became a mother, I did not think that I would be able to go back to work for two years, but because of DUO’s work model, I was able to return to work much quicker than anticipated.
There is often a stigma attached to mothers with young children pursuing their careers, and doubts about their ability to prioritise and carry out their work. This is just one example; another could be a person who is unable to work full-time in an office because of health issues. A model that is flexible and inclusive, however, gives them the opportunity to bring their own qualities and diverse views, and add tangible value to the workplace.
While the team might not be meeting each other physically every day, technology has evolved to the point where we don’t always need to meet in person. There is a supportive team that openly collaborates with each other to cross-pollinate ideas, either informally or through training and other knowledge sharing sessions, and to bring the best of the collective in order to deliver results and value to our clients. It is not all virtual however, and monthly meetups help keep the teams in Cape Town and Johannesburg connected, while there are still in-person meetings with clients as needed.
Bringing your best to the work day
DUO’s strong suit is not just that it offers the career opportunity to work remotely, but that it empowers its people to live a well-balanced life where you are mentally sound. I have peace of mind as I can drop off or pick up my child when needed – or take time to put her to sleep – but still get through my workload by either starting the day earlier or ending it later. Planning and prioritisation of client work is crucial to being able to achieve this. I also get to save time by not having to drive to and from the office each day.
It’s important to understand that this is not about clock watching, as DUO doesn’t do timesheets or invoice per hour – we work on results and you need to ensure that you can deliver the results by when you are expected to. You bring your strengths, deliver consistent work that meets business objectives, and then reap the benefits thereof.
You also don’t want to end up working after hours repeatedly, which is also discouraged at DUO, and goes against a company culture that places a great emphasis on balance, mental wellbeing, including through wellness programmes that enable employees to be productive and engaged. To be clear, delivering on your work is important, and prioritisation becomes a crucial skill here as we work within a high performance team.
This, of course, has to be balanced with accountability, responsibility and reliability. It requires people who want to be part of the tribe, to contribute, and to show the value that they can add to the team. People that want to do better, to succeed in what they do, climb up in their careers, and know how to communicate and be transparent – which is crucial for success in a remote work environment.
DUO will maintain a remote working model which empowers existing employees to live a well-balanced life and bring their best to the work day. This also means that the agency can attract a diverse range of talent from across the country, and beyond.
By Ammaarah Kootbodien, Senior Account Manager at DUO
