We went virtual in 2008, leaving the London office, Convent Garden during the 2008 crash.
Every business left. Luckily, 3G came online and Skype. We had been waiting a long time for 3G and the ability to stream. In fact, the old headset I use today was used for Skype calls from 2008 onwards.
We chose to try and work flexibly from then on. As collaborative offices started to develop, I decided the way forward was a virtual business.
Location was unimportant because we can have face to face business meetings and collaborations wherever we want now. Some of the people I work with are regularly out of the country. Poland, Thailand, wherever. It does not make a difference where they are.
I have always worked partly from home since starting work. Working for Thames Water and the late Dame Anita Roddick at The Body Shop when I was 25 meant I was out and about most of the time. A lot of work was carried out on the fly using fax machines, landlines and then Blackberries. In the Philippines, they used pagers.
I always wanted to work completely remotely to increase productivity and give employees a better working life. My people do not have to worry about appointments or calls to the bank or doctor, they can do this in between their work activities.
Management
How does this work in terms of management? I hear you cry. That’s simple. If you know your business, department or area of expertise inside out then you know what good and poor performance looks like. You can tell this from results. You can manage performance by output and many other KPIs. Not just by hours worked. At redheadPR, we work on results, not on how long a result takes. The better someone gets, the better their results. Simple. The result is promotion or working fewer hours.
Workflow
Managing workflow is the real issue and workflow can be managed through online apps and dashboards. Not through emails or phone calls. For us, deadlines and campaigns set up well in the first place through the correct terms, plans, expectations, tech apps, online conference calls and now zoom ensure that everything works smoothly. RedheadPR clients and employees rarely receive emails or calls.
Meetings
The great thing to come out of this awful pandemic is that everyone is getting used to Zoom calls. Reducing travel to meetings that can be carried out remotely will save the planet and our time. Zoom calls and scheduling systems mean every minute of every day is utilised effectively. Add in dashboards and cloud filing systems and it should all work like clockwork.
Benefits and issues
The benefits far outweigh the issues. I used to think that working with redheadPR people was more like being married to them. I saw them more than my family and friends, although many of them are really great friends. But that’s not right, is it? We know that now, through having a lockdown.
The things that have proved the most difficult for a business that works virtually have been people who can’t manage very well or need motivating. Maybe the results are poor through lack of community or interaction or they can’t get motivated in the morning. But in the end, everyone gets used to it and finds their own flow and to be honest, human beings end up filling their new free time with other things. Maybe learning, sport, phone calls with family etc. So they can see the benefit.
Results
Our productivity has increased, we are more profitable in terms of both money and wellbeing. The tech that we use is not difficult to use and I have made sure that I have learnt all our software and IT so that I can help anyone if it becomes difficult.
Me
I developed stakeholder relations at Thames Water, headed communications at Yellow Pages, implemented BT’s ISO4002 environmental policy and managed the PR for The Body Shop and its founder, the late Dame Anita Roddick.
I’ve won three PR Week awards and was a finalist in the Cosmopolitan Women of the Year Awards, 1999. That same year I helped Yellow Pages win the EFQM Impact on Society award. 2016 saw me shortlisted in the First Women in Media category in the First Women Awards.
As well as being a coach and mentor through my Mastering your Own PR course, I also help other businesses become hyper-efficient. I guide them to process map their organisation by improving and streamlining systems and ways of working. It enables them to become more profitable and outcome driven.
I would love to know
What are your biggest fears knowing the future will mean employees and your business working virtually?
By Sara Tye
Sara Tye is an award-winning business and organisational development expert, a top 500 international PR, and serial entrepreneur. She has just launched Mastering Your Own PR a system and programme for entrepreneurs, that want to have an amazing high profile become hugely successful. www.myopr.co.uk
She is the founder and managing director of redheadPR and also has a multimillion-pound property portfolio in and outside London.
As well as being a coach and mentor, I also help other agencies become hyper-efficient. I guide them to process map their organisation by improving and streamlining systems and ways of working. It enables them to become more profitable and outcome driven.
She was CEO of Etape Suisse the company that provides inspirational cycling tours and high-level networking opportunities in Switzerland.
Voted ‘Green PR of London’ by the Evening Standard, Sara is a passionate and motivational speaker, writer and regularly published.
Sara has over 30 years of communications expertise and was a finalist in the first Cosmopolitan Women of the Year Awards in 1999. She played a key role in the implementation of the BT’s environmental policy and the development and management of the philanthropic Best Practice process at Yellow Pages.
Sara was also shortlisted for Female Entrepreneur of The Year Award in the 2017 South West Business and Community Awards.
The Make Your Mark for a Tenner campaign, which Sara helped develop, was commended as one of the CIPR’s best sustainable PR programmes. Sara was also responsible for the Impact on Society section of The European Foundation of Quality Management Model and Award, which Yellow Pages won in 1999.
Sara is a mentor to many business people, providing advice, guidance and growth strategies. Some companies that have benefited from this have increased their revenue by a staggering 50%.
She is proud ambassador for Sundried, the active sports clothing company.