If You Can Zoom it, You Can Do It

It's a crazy world out there today. With the world in a middle of a pandemic and economies on pause, we at RDG are fortunate to have the means to work remotely in the safety of our own homes. We are also blessed with amazing clients and are working together to support each other during this time. However, shifting from in-person communication to collaborating remotely can difficult, and we've had to navigate the transition as a team. Here's some ways we've used Zoom to keep our collaborative team spirit alive:

Stand-up meetings

Every morning, we have a stand-up meeting to talk about what we're doing that day, seek help if we need it, etc. It helps keep us accountable and our priorities straight. Historically, this was a meeting in the office, where those of us that were working from home that day would dial in on a call, so we're all present in some shape or form. Now, with everyone remote, the transition into a Zoom call has luckily not been that big of a leap. The biggest difference is we use video instead of just audio, so we get a chance to see each other in all our sweatshirt-wearing, bed-head, stay-at-home glory. Using team calls is a great way to touch base and keep up with accountability.

Screen-sharing meetings

Sometimes email or slack messaging isn't enough to discuss something complex or share our thoughts. In these cases, we either hop on a zoom or slack call to talk things through, screen-sharing diagrams and mockups. This helps foster collaboration and is the next best thing to meeting in person.

Slack banter

Let's face it, animated gifs, memes, and slackmojis are the foundation for workplace humor in the best of times. As a team, we've kept it up during our time at home, which not only means keeping up team communication (even if it's not exactly relevant to client work) but helps bring a sense of "normal" to our days.

Social gatherings

While getting in the car and heading to game night is a non-starter, there are plenty of ways to stay social. The Factory has moved its community lunches, beer:30, and other events to Zoom, so members can still feel part of the community during this time. Plus, it's good to have fun!

Get creative

Using online tools can help us to crazy things. Earlier this week I virtually attended the Ferris Portfolio Event, which was originally supposed to be an event at the Downtown Market. Instead of cancelling when that was no longer possible, they put their heads together and came up with another way. They turned to Zoom instead, which allowed them to invite people to the biggest call I've ever been part of, complete with breakout rooms for each student to share their work digitally with attendees (thank goodness for portfolio websites, am I right?). In many ways it was better than taking a tour through a physical portfolio book, since it was easier and more flexible to go through different screens and workflows digitally than on paper.

Don't lose heart

While we don't yet know when things will get back to normal, we're doing what we can to hang on to our team's camaraderie and culture. All I can say is, keep your chin up, remember to reach out, and take the time to hop on a call when you need it.