Why working remotely is here to stay at Endare

During the lockdown, working at the office was a no-go for every business if working remotely was possible. Online meetings, gatherings and onboardings were quite new to most of us at Endare. In our blog post Endare during strange times, you can read more about how we handled the lockdown period. This blog post, however, is about why working remotely is here to stay and how we are integrating it in our company culture.

Moving to a more flexible working environment

Before the lockdown, flexible working hours and working from home one day a week were the norms. To provide the best service possible and deliver high-standard solutions, we work in close teams. That’s why working from home didn’t look convenient. In addition, human contact with your colleagues enhances productivity, as you can easily brainstorm and discuss ideas to elevate your project.

The fear of diminishing productivity turned out to be unnecessary and the team spirit survived.

However, two months of remote work as the only possibility changed our minds. During the lockdown, we’ve managed to keep delivering our services successfully and keep our group affiliation. Next to this, we noticed that some colleagues were more productive, or felt more comfortable working at home for certain tasks. Because of this, we saw an opportunity to enjoy the benefits of a more flexible working environment. Not temporarily, but on a permanent basis. The fear of diminishing productivity turned out to be unnecessary and the team spirit survived. That’s why the idea of our office as a ‘clubhouse’ got introduced.

The office as a clubhouse

Endare represented as a clubhouse - a place always open for collaborations, meetings, and Friday gatherings - means every colleague chooses his or her own optimal balance between working from home and at the office tailored to his or her own projects and tasks. In other words, we're moving from 'always at the office' to activity-based working. We meet face-to-face with our project team whenever working together is required and work from home when focusing on individual tasks.

Optimising efficiency and making sure our members are happy are the main reasons why the clubhouse is our new way of working. An analogy with a sports club is a good way to explain this new policy. If you want your team to win, not only training sessions at the club but training sessions at home are necessary as well. Working from home when possible and enjoying your own coffee on a monday morning is just as important as working physically together with your colleagues.

The Endare feeling

We can say the norms about working remotely have undergone huge changes at Endare. However, coming to the office plays a major role in growing and maintaining our team spirit. Because we’re a young team full of club members eager to learn from each other, seeing your colleagues on a regular basis still is preferable. That’s one of the reasons why Endare as a 100% "Virtual business" is impossible in the long run. For our culture to be supported by all our colleagues and to pass on norms and values to new colleagues, carrying on the office life partly is most effective in our opinion. Maintaining the Endare feeling is of enormous importance to us because our team spirit is a major part of our culture, making Endare the company it is today. In addition, the Endare feeling is crucial for our team to keep delivering successful projects as we support and learn from each other in various ways.

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