Navigating your career in 2020

Microsoft Teams has been invaluable. It makes such a difference to see people’s faces rather than just hearing them on a phone call – especially when you’re meeting dozens of new people every day. I’ve been so impressed with the effort everyone has made to stay connected. I’ve also noticed relationships of increased trust developing between colleagues, where we measure performance by outputs, rather than inputs. On a personal level, working remotely has helped me to find a rhythm that works for me and my family, without compromising my career or the level of service I want to deliver to clients and my teams. What I didn’t anticipate was how easy it is to sit down to work at home and not leave for the entire day… so, I’ve learned to be more disciplined and get moving more often!

But for all the positives during this period, I’m pleased that we can now work back in the office in Jersey, as I really missed in-person interaction. I think working flexibly from the office will be the ideal recipe for many going forward, and I’m looking forward to seeing how this allows us to reshape our work, our lives, and our industry.”

When I joined, I got the same feeling that Aztec was a highly organised business that really cares about its people. They demonstrated this by making sure everyone was working efficiently despite all being at home, and it was a really thoughtful touch to arrange a Microsoft Teams call with all my new colleagues on day one. Working from home hasn’t caused any delays or disruptions. If anything, I think everyone is more responsive, because when your colleague calls you with a query it’s a welcome interruption!

My start with Aztec was definitely unusual and something I will certainly never forget. But I now feel settled and a fully pledged member of the Aztec team. I’m learning a lot from my new colleagues and enjoy being a part of this unique culture.”

Even so, taking my induction training remotely meant it was hard to feel ‘integrated’, but everyone was incredibly understanding and supportive. Taking part in live video calls with my new colleagues helped, and my allocated ‘work buddy’ encouraged me to build relationships across the business. And, although face-to-face social events were not possible, there were plenty of virtual events to take part in instead.

Aztec’s culture resonates from its people, even when we’re working remotely. It’s a way of life rather than just words.”

I’d already known lots about Aztec before I joined. I have friends who work here, and I got a really positive vibe from the senior people who interviewed me. But I was most impressed when my new laptop and screens were delivered to my home by taxi, accompanied with a box of cupcakes! That’s a team and a company that really supports its people and thinks of the big and the little things.

Working from home has had its ups and downs, of course. For me, the hardest part was juggling childcare. But once we settled into a routine that everyone was happy with, things got much easier. And now that lockdown in Jersey is no longer as restrictive, I really enjoy coming into the office and interacting with my colleagues. I’m part of a great team where everyone rallies together and is always ready to lend a hand.”

I joined Aztec at the beginning of May, and I was immediately impressed with the tech delivery, which made working from home completely seamless. All the user guides, and instructions on how to complete online training with the Aztec Academy were so easy and clear you couldn’t put a foot wrong. But the most important aspect of my training came from the human interactions that I had heard Aztec was already known for. My manager and everyone in the team made a point of regularly checking in on me during my first few weeks – often offering to help before I could even ask! I was so impressed.

My favourite thing this year has been the regular online catch-ups with my teammates. They made me feel welcome and part of the team from my first day, and as well as having a really close working relationship, we enjoy making each other laugh. No-one speaks in ‘corporate’ jargon or buzzwords to make themselves sound important, and I know I can reach out to them with questions and they will always find time in their schedule to help me. I feel really lucky – it’s honestly been the best on-boarding experience ever.”

In my role, I’m responsible for managing client expectations and effectively harnessing all of our team’s existing resources. This involves a lot of knowledge sharing. This might be more challenging working remotely, but the technology we use has made all the difference. Of course, nothing beats face-to-face interaction, but Microsoft Teams allows you to talk, meet and see each other whenever, from wherever, and exchange instant messages with individuals and groups, basically, it allows us to stay connected and keep communicating. I can’t imagine the team would have been able to stay so focused – and maintain that all-important group dynamic – without having that direct access to one another. It’s also easy to contact people who are working in other offices or who aren’t in your team. Being so used to social media, apps like MS Teams brings that element of easy connectivity into the workplace and cuts down on email.

Lockdown taught me that the line separating personal and work life can quickly get blurred if you’re not careful. When you’re working from home, it’s important to give yourself a pause during the day. The best tip I can share is to stay personally productive, like learning something new that you can do during short breaks. I bought a ukulele and taught myself how to play by watching YouTube tutorials, practicing during lunch breaks. It had a really positive impact on me, and helps keep me going throughout the day.”