What it’s like working remotely at Hadrian

Thursday evening after my last meeting I got on a plane to Portugal. The airport was busy and everything was running late. I arrived late in Lisbon and decided to spend the night.

I spent the next day working from home: I met colleagues on Google Meets, and dedicated time to my recruitment objectives, and at the end of the day I took a break and went to Ericeira. Ericeira, besides being a great place to surf, offered an opportunity for me to take a breath. As someone who often ends up with tunnel vision I feel lucky to have the sort of flexible working arrangements at Hadrian that allow me to prioritize my wellbeing in this way.

On my way to Ericeira I met all kinds of people. A people-person at heart I stopped to chat with them, as talking with people always helps me get new ideas and inspiration. I told them about my job, Hadrian and we exchanged personal anecdotes.

It's always nice to exchange information and make contacts, as you never know who can become a great connection or resource. Who knows, I might even have spoken to a potential new colleague! While it’s not the 9 - 5 day that I might have pictured growing up, I love that Hadrian offers me the flexibility to do my job in this social and flexible way. Not only has my welfare, and work life balance improved but I can actually do my job better.

The flexibility of remote work has boosted productivity and engagement not just for me but for workers globally. Top studies from Gallup, Harvard and Stanford find that there are clear economic advantages to remote work. These studies found that the autonomy afforded by workplace independence led to completion of tasks with 40% fewer quality defects. As well, remote work meant 41% less absenteeism. For me personally remote work has allowed me more happiness, helped me feel healthier and definitely increased my loyalty to Hadrian.

Working in recruitment requires flexibility and often the standard workday doesn't work for me or allow me to obtain my objectives. After office hours I'm often still active on LinkedIn. I call potential candidates in the evening who, for example, might feel uncomfortable talking during their current employer's time. I often answer emails as soon as I see them coming in as I know that the anxiety of a job search can make waiting for an answer until the next day difficult.

Although it might mean my working hours are sometimes odd, I don’t mind. I love my work, and it doesn’t matter to me where or when I’m doing it. The remote working style at Hadrian allows me to do my work in environments that work best for my productivity. I like being by myself when I work so that I can focus all my attention on my colleague or a potential recruit.

As a person who needs to move constantly, to keep my blood flowing, I love that Hadrian allows me to work outside of a traditional office. I need enough room to be able to stretch my legs, otherwise I feel locked up, get tired and end up sounding unenthusiastic when talking to potential new colleagues.

Working at home, in a hotel or in an airbnb where I can walk back and forth on calls is perfect for me. After my meetings I like taking a short break to walk around outside, preferably in nature. I can unwind and be alone with my thoughts, and with the flexibility of the work-style at Hadrian I can do what’s healthy and right for me without feeling guilty.

Even with remote work Hadrian still offers the opportunity to come and collaborate in a more traditional office space. Our open-concept offices in Amsterdam are a vibrant and creative coworking space where I can meet my colleagues, see what our hackers and developers are working on and talk to anybody about anything and everything. Despite a culture of remote work, I love that we have maintained some of the quintessential aspects of office life. Sharing cake on birthdays, projecting group online meetings onto a shared TV, and getting lunch together, all help us stay connected.

Hadrian, and the workplace flexibility it offers has increased my productivity and allowed me to find a balance between personal health and my career objectives. As someone prone to tunnel vision it has been helpful to have the opportunity to break up my day with the activities that make me feel most like myself. Even with remote working I still feel close to my colleagues and on the days I do go into the office it never feels like a chore.

About Birrighinde

Birrighinde is a people person by heart and therefore started working in recruitment. Now at Hadrian, she is passionately working as the Senior Recruiter and actively looking for the best talent to grow Hadrian’s Legion.