Oddbee has been working as a distributed team since it was founded. The team works from Canada, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. In this article, our team discusses the pros and cons of distributed work.
Pros of remote work from different countries:
Yulia, Web Designer & Developer:
I have been working online since 2014, and I could never go back to working in the office. Besides the obvious advantages like saving money on parking, lunches, gas, office clothing, and such, I really enjoy being able to spend time with my pets at any hour of the day.
When you’re in the office, you always have to present yourself in the best possible light and maintain a positive mood. But when you’re working from home, you can be a grumpy gremlin having a bad day and still do your job effectively.
Polina, Graphic Designer and Illustrator
Interacting with people from diverse cultures broadens our perspective and allows us to approach client challenges in new and innovative ways.
Ablai, Graphic, Motion, and 3D Designer
We can work from anywhere, giving us the freedom to travel and explore new places while still delivering quality work to our clients.
Dmitry, Account and Project Manager
During the last decade, before joining Oddbee, I had to get up very early every morning and endure a 3hrs commute to work and back home. Now, I don’t have to do that anymore, and I enjoy the flexibility of working from home.
Kat, Founder:
It’s beneficial for introverts — they remain a part of the team without being obliged to interact with colleagues throughout the entire day.
From a business standpoint, distributed work allows us to hire the best people, regardless of their location, building a strong team of talented professionals.
And now the cons of working from home:
Yulia, Web Designer & Developer:
It feels a bit like Groundhog Day, with every day seeming the same. And yes, in that sense it is similar to an office job. But you do get a bit of scenery change when you go to the office.
Kat, Founder:
A major disadvantage is that it’s hard to meet in person, especially in our case. My original vision was to meet with the whole team once a year instead of paying for an office in Toronto.
However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic followed by the war in Ukraine, it has been difficult to meet in person. Hope that the circumstances will be brighter next year.
Ablai, Graphic, Motion, and 3D Designer:
Working remotely has its perks, but sometimes it’s the little things that are missed, like chatting with colleagues by the water cooler or going out for a coffee together.
Dmitry, Account and Project Manager:
I miss having an offline lunch where I can chat with colleagues. In-person socializing adds a lot of perks. Also, brainstorming ideas in a dedicated office space could be more efficient than over a Zoom call. Yet, overall the pros of remote work outweigh the cons.
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This is one of our articles in a series about how Oddbee works. Be sure to catch our upcoming articles where we’ll delve deeper into Oddbee’s culture, history, and the guiding principles that shape our approach. If you haven’t already, check out our article on how we thrive despite a 10-hour time difference.
