October 22, 2020
The Aria Marketing staff has spent the past seven months supporting our health IT clients from home amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While working remotely has introduced us to many challenges, like issues with internet coverage, Zoom calls, homeschooling, and crowded households, the Aria team has found innovative ways to set themselves up for success at home. Hear from members of the Aria team below on best practices for working from home as well as what they miss most about our office:
Jessica, EVP: For me, the first six months of working from home also turned into teaching from home, as I was simultaneously working and trying to keep my four-year-old busy and somewhat educated. Now, having worked in PR for over 15 years means I am fairly well-equipped to juggle many things at once, but homeschooling while zooming with a client requires a whole new level of multitasking. Let’s just say that after a few months of this ‘new normal’ I was really missing the office! I still miss the energy of the office and especially my awesome team, and look forward to doing more socially-distanced activities with them in the coming weeks. Till then – see you on Zoom!
Danielle, AD: Having had the option to work at home on Fridays before the pandemic, I was fortunate to have a pretty good setup already. I love the ease of working at home and the flexibility it provides – plus my cat loves that I’m home all the time and that she can be part of meetings. However, I do miss being in the office and seeing the rest of the Aria crew every day, and I look forward to when we can all be together again.
Kahler, AE: Working from home comes with many distractions (e.g. roommates and/or various family members), but this has helped me learn how to become more focused and attentive. At the same time, working from home has taught me the importance of maintaining a good work/life balance by taking longer lunch breaks or going for walks to reenergize and refocus. On the other hand, I miss my coworkers and having fun celebrations in the office or grabbing drinks after work at Tommy Doyle’s.
Lindsey, SAE: When it became clear we would work from home for a longer span of time, I created a more workable setup in my room (I grabbed my extra monitor and rescued my desk succulent from the office over a weekend!). On the plus side, I prefer writing longer-form projects with minimal background noise, which I’m able to do from the comfort of my own home, but I do miss the office. With that being said, I am looking forward to creating more opportunities to have casual virtual interactions with the Aria team through the impending launch of book and media – podcasts and documentary – clubs.
Cate, SAE: Initially, I really enjoyed transforming my guest room into an office, and I felt incredibly productive at first. However, I soon realized I was missing Aria’s open concept office with its constant hum of collaboration, and most significantly, my colleagues. I always looked forward to Monday mornings, connecting with my colleagues, and the natural comradery our office fostered. Working remotely has challenged me to find new ways to stay in touch with my colleagues in order to preserve those dynamic relationships.
Erica, AE: Back when we thought working from home would only last two weeks, it was pretty exciting. I was initially working from my couch, but I soon converted my apartment’s sun room into an office. Since constructing a designated work area, it’s been much easier to concentrate and create more of a separation between work and home. I’ve also been baking a lot more since lockdown began, but I miss having hungry coworkers to take these sweet treats off my hands.
Ross, SVP: Working from home has confirmed what I already knew. I really like going to the office and miss being able to do so. I miss all the office treats like plentiful free snacks, espresso and office lunches. I miss our office location with easy walks to plenty of restaurants, commerce and the beautiful Charles River. But, most of all, I miss seeing my colleagues, in person, every day. I miss the collaborative meetings in our conference rooms, the spontaneous kitchen conversations, and just being able to stick my head out my office door to ask a question. Luckily, I know the current situation is temporary and we will soon all be back together like before (at least, that is what I’m telling myself to get by!).
Although we are working remotely, we still value everything that makes us a collaborative agency and are looking to hire an account coordinator and account executive to join us! If interested, be sure to forward your resume and cover letter to Danielle Johns (djohns@ariamarketing.com)!
