Having the best of both worlds: time to chat with work colleagues, and a work-from-home environment

Ha Mai, Data Invoice Specialist

I love having the best of both worlds: time to chat with my work colleagues, and a work-from-home environment where I am most productive!

After working for Sharesource for just over a year, it is great that I can spend one day a month with the other six members of my team in the newly opened Vietnam hub. Although in a way it’s good that I am not at the hub too often as I really like to chat with my work colleagues, at the same time I know that I have deadlines to meet and need to concentrate on getting the job done, which is why having a blended work model works so well for me.

The rest of the week I work at home which is close to the beach and away from the busyness of the city. I love working to my own schedule and having autonomy, with the freedom to choose my work hours, when I have a break and how long I work for. The Vietnam traffic is very heavy so not having to travel every day saves me time, and money and reduces stress. It’s a good work-life balance. I know that I am happier not having to be in an office every day. It was also great that just recently my entire team was able to choose to work one day a month in the office so that we can meet up to discuss issues and opportunities; video conference with our client as a team; and have the important social aspect of being a team that is best done face-to-face which also addresses my need to chat.

When I think about my year of working at home, I now see that there are some important skills that are needed, and I have gained in my year with Sharesource:

1. Leadership - working alone involves managing our time and being trusted to get the job done. To achieve this, we must take a leadership position.
   
2. Creativity - we can’t always ask others for the answer but have to think of solutions and find the best way to get the job done. By being creative as a team, we have had a solution mindset rather than waiting for our teammates or others to come to our rescue. While at the same time when we find the answer to a problem, we share it with each other which brings me to the third skill.
   
3. Collaboration - in the 12 months we have worked from home, we found ways to stay connected as a team. Now in the one day a week that we meet up in the hub, we will connect both for better work productivity as well as for socialising which is much more fun in ‘person’.

I am proud that after 12 months with Sharesource, I can use my leadership, creativity and collaboration skills to help the newer members of the team. I think that the hybrid model is the future for businesses globally.  For example, it reduces operational costs as offices can be smaller when not all the staff is there at the same time. It also means that the business can find the very best person for the job because that person can live anywhere in the world.

I'm very happy with my current job which brings me an international working environment and mobility.