Starting a new job can be nerve-wracking: meeting colleagues, learning about new clients, getting to grips with a new work landscape – but doing it all completely remotely makes it so much harder.
2020 was a tumultuous year globally. At Gong we’ve been fortunate to expand despite the pandemic and we’ve had to adapt quickly to support remote-working employees bed in to an internationally focused job. Here are our top tips on starting a new job during lockdown 3.0 in 2021.
Tip one: Communication is key
Working remotely means that it is all too easy to go through your to-do list without extended interaction with your colleagues. When it happens from the start of a new job, it can leave you feeling isolated and distant from the company that you’ve joined.
Our new colleagues have been quick to push for regular interaction with managers and clients. Establishing a weekly routine of whole-company video meetings, interspersed with client-specific catch ups and regular content and best practice sharing has imbued people with a stronger sense of purpose and inclusivity.
This doesn’t just apply to individuals. In times of crisis, businesses need effective communication more than ever, to align corporate purpose, manage stakeholder relations and reassure customer, clients and employees. Our clients in a broad range of sectors are feeling the benefits of quickly and consistently reacting to the challenges and changes brought about by COVID-19.
Tip two: Celebrate your successes with your team
Sharing ideas and celebrating achievements is part of working in a fast-paced corporate communications agency. When starting a new job in lockdown, this has the added benefit of increasing your sense of accomplishment and work as a team-player.
“There’s nothing like the buzz of getting blanket coverage for your client’s stories and sharing that success with your colleagues. It’s even more fulfilling when you work for clients such as ours, which are changing the world for the better. My highlight of 2020 was when we secured coverage across the board for the launch of the Bankers for Net Zero initiative, followed by a story from our client Sunlight about its role in the green energy transition. Both stories hit within a week of each other, which made for an exciting month!”
Hannah Hughes, Account Director
Tip three: Make technology work for you
Even prior to COVID-19, Gong had adopted flexible working practices, with the whole team fully set up on Zoom and Microsoft Teams with client files securely in the cloud. All of this has proven invaluable when the pandemic hit and is essential when starting a new job in lockdown.
Sara Viglione, Senior Account Manager said, “Starting a new job from home is challenging. You forget how much you naturally learn through general office conversations. However, the team is extremely responsive so I can Zoom with any of my colleagues and nine times out of ten they’re available to speak.”
Tip four: Value your clients
Due to the international nature of our client base, we are an experienced video conference crew. The team uses that client face time to go the extra mile, always probing for thought leadership ideas and media hooks rather than simply providing updates.
Another new Gong starter, Jo Hooke (Account Manager) reflects on how well virtual connections work when properly managed: “While I’m a firm believer that nothing can ever replace face to face contact, switching to more regular check-in calls with clients is working extremely well. It’s all about ensuring regular contact and developing conversations in new ways.”
Tip five: Keep a strong sense of corporate ethos
When starting a new job during lockdown, it’s easy to lose sight of your new company’s ethos. As a sustainability focused PR agency in London and a registered B-Corp we not only want to make sure we have the best people for the job but we also want to build a team that is equally passionate about Gong’s commitment to excellence, people and planet.
By reinforcing our values during catch up meetings, we have secured our new team members’ commitment to these attitudes and behaviours, despite the fact that they started working remotely:
“When I saw Gong’s portfolio of clients I was really impressed. Gong and Gong Kenya have a wealth of experience and a strong track record with clients across the B2B market in Africa. As a Zambian myself, I feel a huge commitment to Africa and making sure I leave a mark that leads to the betterment of the continent – at Gong I knew I could do this” said Vinesh Parmar, an Account Executive starting work remotely.
Annabel Bailey, another Account Executive who began work during the global pandemic commented, “What really stood out to me when starting my job was the way that Gong helps businesses communicate their positive impact. I’ve been working on accounts such as battery manufacturer Systems Sunlight and search consultancy specialist Granger Reis and their commitment to sustainability and net-zero targets has been extremely refreshing and inspiring.”
Starting a new job from home whilst everyone else is also adjusting to this new way of working can make it slightly more difficult to hit the ground running but our new recruits are doing a sterling job.
With a promise of a vaccine, 2021 is looking to be an encouraging year for our health and for a greener, diverse and equitable future. We may be working remotely for some time to come, but armed with these top tips, starting a new job in lockdown need not be as daunting as it seems.
MEET OUR LATEST RECRUITS
Sara Viglione: Senior Account Manager
Jo Hooke: Account Manager
Vinesh Parmar: Account Executive
Annabel Bailey: Account Executive
