Remote Office World Tour
The digital age is bringing about a major shift in collaboration. Meetings rarely take place the old-fashioned way, in the meeting room; instead, participants meet virtually in rooms via video. Since 2020, when COVID-19 paralysed the world, the topic of home offices has become increasingly present.
In our digital IT environment, new structures have been established that have facilitated collaboration so that projects can continue to be driven forward during COVID.
For 8reasons, this was great, because it spurred on the plan to switch to home office completely, and even better: we turned the home office directly into remote office. That's right, Remote. Working from wherever you want, no matter if that's Germany, Europe or the world.
All employees have the privilege to work from other places on the planet. It is the core concept of 8reasons Digital.
Portugal & Italy
First Remote Office Tests
2021 Alex started the first remote office project. 1 month in Portugal, in the Algarve. It worked flawlessly, the internet connection was permanently stable, whether from the accommodation or from a café on the beach. With mostly over 50 MBits, the quality of the meetings was flawless. So UX & UI design works wonderfully from Portugal.
But that was not all. In 2022, several visits to Italy were due, and here too, thanks to vodafone's mobile data volume, it was possible to be reached around the clock with 4G or 5G. So Remote Office Italy could also be checked off the list, but the biggest challenge was still to come.
The big challenge
Remote office during a world trip
From 09.01.2023 to 03.09.2023, our CEO Alexander Varro was on a trip around the world. Yes, it sounds crazy, but that's actually the case. At the age of 32, he was still at a point without children of his own and wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to show the business world out there that remote work functions perfectly.
Internet connection
The Internet connection on the entire trip was stable with almost no exception. In order to always be available at German times, the route had to be planned so that you are at least in 4G zones with good reception. Detailed planning is possible through the provider nPerf.
By buying local sim cards, a weak internet line / WiFi could be bridged well.
Time difference
An important point for the appointment coordination is the time difference. All countries east of Germany, so Africa and Asia to Oceania, are perfect for a world trip. The time difference is very manageable, more can be experienced during the day, from noon / afternoon begins the working hours abroad.
In the West, on the other hand, things are different. So meetings at 10:00 German time can be at 03:00 in the morning. You have to like getting up at such times. In any case, it is not relaxing 😉
Power
When traveling by camper, it should be noted that at the time of work, you should be in a spot where the electronics can be charged. As an emergency plan, it is recommended to have several PowerBanks with you to be able to fulfill your 8 hours of work even in "powerless" situations.
We also recommend an international travel plug and a power strip, as everything can be different in every country.
Devices
To be able to work as productively as possible, the working environment should also be suitable. As a Mac user, it is advisable to take an iPad as a second screen, as well as a height-adjustable laptop stand, mouse and keyboard.
Impressions of the trip
New Zealand
A different kind of remote office. With a view of the sea, digitally in the middle of the action. New Zealand is a very productive spot for creative work! Pure nature, beautiful sunsets and very stable Internet.
Even at the end of the world, wireless connections work without problems. Why do companies today still say that employees need to be on site? We don't. Above all, remote office gives so much back.
Australia
In Australia, Alexander Varro traveled the entire east coast by camper. The time difference to Germany was 10 hours. The normal daily routine? Travel and experience from 08:00 - 16:00. Afterwards, we opened the MacBook in the camper and worked until late at night. The time shift was therefore perfect for combining work with travel.
Mexico
Out of Oceania, off to Central America. From +10h time difference back to -6h in Mexico. You first have to come to terms with the 16-hour time difference. Meetings no longer take place at 20:00, but at 04:00 in the morning. The change was the biggest adjustment of the entire trip. It means going to bed early and getting up early. You can experience a little something during the day if you don't let the tiredness eat you up inside.
In the end, however, what counts is the mindset of always delivering 100% and then the coffee helps. It's tedious, yes, but after a while you get used to it and it's the new normal.
Colombia
Our CEO Alexander Varro in Palomino, Colombia. Palomino is a small town by the sea, characterized by dusty streets and poverty. Even here, stable internet connection was present. Except for a power outage lasting 1 hour, everything worked without problems.
Medellin is probably one of the most famous places in Colombia due to the story of Pablo Escobar. Many dramatic scenes took place in Comuna 13 back then, and today the area of the city is alive with colorful graffiti. For us as a design agency, images like these are extremely inspiring. However, if you also know the background to the drawings, the feeling is immediately different.
Peru
After Colombia, we continued on to Peru - unsuspecting what the future would bring. The land of high altitudes had a lot to offer and the route had to be well planned, because the internet is always a tricky thing in Peru. If you have 5G at one location, you may not have an internet connection 10 meters away.
The Andes are also in Peru, we are talking about mountains over 6,000 meters high. So it's not just the air that's thinner, but also the reception.
The body needs to acclimatize to the air pressure and lack of oxygen. The route was therefore from Lima to Ica, Nasca, Arequipa and Cusco.
The best place to work was in Arequipa. The city is surrounded by volcanoes and lies at an altitude of 2,300 meters. Very inspiring and fulfilling.
Countries traveled
New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Sri Lanka
