I started working at Tithe.ly close to a year ago. I transitioned from a 100% in the office to 100% remote work. Here are some of the things I would have like to have known going into it.

Challenges

• Easy to feel alone when you’re in the same room alone. I’m a self-prescribed ambivert and like my alone time when I get it. However, if you’re a people person and really love the interaction, you’ll want create times to interact with others regularly.
• Bugging your co-workers feels real. It’s probably a bit less than seeing an annoyed look on your cubical mate’s face but you’re busy and you know they are too. Be sure to use the tried and true manners and ask if it’s a good time to chat.
• Delay in getting answers thanks to timezones and impersonal chat interactions. This is a challenge because when a deploy on Friday goes sideways, you might need a hand. In general, more and better planning is required.
• Video chat fatigue is a thing. Expect it and build in ways to combat it: scheduling breaks between known meetings, walks, stretches, etc. If you can’t schedule it, feel free to ask for a break during a meeting if you need one. You’ll likely be more on your game and engaged with the conversation if you do.
• You will work more. It’s easy to do when you’re in the zone and things are clicking, it’s hard to punch the clock right at 5pm. If you’re like me, you’ll want to tie a bow on the nice little feature you’ve been working on all day.
• Kids just don’t understand you gotta work…also, privacy but that’s another story. If you have more than one, you’ll need to explain that you need time to focus and not be interrupted. You’ll need to explain it to each one, many times, every day. Expect it and be ready to love them during it. They are more important than work right?

Benefits

There are lots of perks to being part of a remote team. With the onset of video conferencing and chatting software, it doesn’t take too much to “feel” like you are in the same room.

• You get to work with smart, interesting people from different parts of the world that you may not have the opportunity to interact with. The Tithe.ly ChMS team mostly lives in Austrailia. I’ve learned a few colloquialisms that have made me chuckle (e.g. snag) and appreciate differences in culture.
• Everyone is really accessible, from the C-suite to customer support to engineers. Having a universal chatting system (ala Slack) levels the interaction field. Of course, this should be used with some restraint, but if you have a question or thoughtful idea, it’s so simple to start that conversation. Don’t forget your manners though and be considerate.
• You can hire the best engineers from anywhere.
• In general, you were hired to be a professional engineer. They trust you to do your best when you’re doing the work and if you keep doing what you were hired to do, they’re pretty flexible with when you do your job.
• I love being able to visit relatives for extended time and this job affords me that.
• My wife is a homemaker, cook, parent, and teacher all in one. That’s a tough job. Being more accessible to her and the kids is a huge blessing.

Traveling Full Time

One of the unique aspects of 100% remote is the ability to be anywhere that affords a good internet connection. With the ubiquity of cellular service, this makes it pretty simple to do. Because of this, COVID moving most things online, and my wife’s interest in seeing all the things, we embarked on a 6 month journey to travel the south in a new trailer and living on the road full time. In January of 2021, we were in a 37 foot travel trailer escaping winter Michigan, looking for sunny days. This too has it’s challenges but some definite upsides. We’ve been able to explore the Everglades and other natural treasures, swim with Manatees, meet new friends, see beautiful sunsets and ride in a monster-bus through an orchard! That’s some cool stuff and I’m thankful to have the opportunity and means to do it.

Our first trip with the new trailer