“Unprecedented”. “Uncertain”. “New normal”. “Pivot”.
These are terms we all became familiar with during the past year as the pandemic took over life as we knew it. For our team, our “new normal” started on March 10, 2020 when we began working remotely. We “pivoted” our daily routines, “uncertain” as to when we would return to the office given the “unprecedented” times.
Here we are a year later in our “new normal” — still working from home. As difficult as it was in the beginning, our team demonstrated resilience and persevered through the challenges the pandemic threw at us. We supported each other (and our clients) through various channels on which we became reliant — Zoom, Slack and phone calls — all while adjusting to our new daily structure. Work-life balance took on a whole new meaning. Asking our clients how they were doing at the top of status calls meant so much more than it ever had before. And spending more time with our families added immeasurable value to our lives.
Our colleagues recently shared thoughts and reflections on the past year:
Rosemary Ostmann, president and CEO
“I have the best team on the planet. When I connect with other entrepreneurs, they always ask me if my team is less productive working remotely. We already had a work-from-home policy on Fridays, so we know how to be effective no matter where we’re located. That said, I am extremely grateful to have a team of absolute pros who take personal responsibility for their work. I am well aware that their work ethic and dedication to RoseComm and our clients were the main factors in our survival over the last year.”
Lisa Trapani, senior vice president and director of editorial services
Lisa has worked from home for nearly two decades in Maryland and says the keys to managing remote work are establishing a space to work that eliminates distractions around you, and building time boundaries into each day to avoid overworking. “The biggest change to my life occurred when my husband started working from home in April 2020. I had to adjust to his daily work patterns. For example, he stays put during his business calls, whereas I move elsewhere in the house for mine. Although this is a very difficult period in our lives, working together at home brought us closer and I feel lucky to share this time with him.”
Jennifer Leckstrom, vice president
“I feel more balanced and focused than I did a year ago. I also believe we’ve been pushed to adapt and become smarter in how we work and collaborate online. It should go without saying that in addition to feeling good about my work and our agency over the last year — the highlight is Roo, my pandemic puppy!”
Mason Levinson, director of content
“Working from home certainly has its quality-of-life benefits. That said, it’s not lost on me that so many of the human connections I’ve made in recent years developed because of that commute into our Hoboken office. From the blacktop hellos each day as I dropped my son at school; to the friends I spent quality time with as we made our way to the train station; to the coffee guy who already knew my order; and of course to my awesome colleagues, these are in-person relationships I miss dearly, both big and small. You’re all getting a hug when this is over. I hope I don’t freak out the coffee guy.”
Lara Cohn, account director
“Before the pandemic when I was remote on Fridays, I could go to a coffee shop, the library or my building’s clubhouse to do work and be around other people who were also working from home. Now, all those places are closed or shut down. That said, I found it’s important to have a designated work space and not bring work into my bedroom. Getting myself ready for the day — showered and dressed with a little makeup on — helps me ‘be at work’ and not feel like it’s a weekend or I’m home sick. I also find it’s good to talk about things other than clients with co-workers; our #happyslack and happy hours remind me how important it is to be connected like we would be in the office.”
Kelsey BaRoss, account supervisor
Kelsey has worked from home in Massachusetts for four years, but still noticed a shift in client relations at the start of the shutdown. “At RoseComm, we’re blessed to work with a lot of amazing, genuine people at different organizations. Good company keeps good company! But when a huge chunk of the country began working from home due to the pandemic, I believe it led to a deeper connection to everyone across the board — not just professionally, but as people — as we all attempted to navigate this emotionally-draining, worldwide emergency.”
Stephanie Kartelias, account executive
“At first, working from home for an extended period of time was difficult for me because I thrive on social interaction. I had a daily routine that I was so used to, and then it stopped abruptly. But I quickly looked for the silver linings. I developed a new appreciation for the importance of what we do. In the beginning, no one knew what or how to address the pandemic and its implications for their businesses. We were able to make that happen for our clients and ourselves. COVID comms!”
Natalie Felix, account coordinator
“As someone who transitioned into a full-time role shortly before the pandemic, I thought I would have more time to be a ‘sponge’ in the office. It was much easier to engage in-person with your desk buddy or to ask questions following a client call in the conference room. Either way, I learned that being a good communicator is key and to keep asking every question I need to in order to grow professionally and personally. Also, if I knew my last day in the office would be my last day, I would have worn a nicer outfit!”
What are some of your thoughts on working from home during the last year? Let us know!
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