Remote Worker

Remote in PR: From Novelty to Normality

/dans , /par

Last week Tyto celebrated its fourth anniversary. At launch PR Week seized upon the innovative nature of our remote model as covered here. The pandemic has shone a light on the benefits offered by remote models and accelerated their adoption. Today, PRovoke and PRmoment report on a new study commissioned by Tyto that shows remote working is destined to become the new normality with majority of UK PR agency CEOs (54%) believing over half of roles will be filled by remote workers. We’ll go into the findings of the study in a minute.

Tyto’s ‘location agnostic’ remote model was a deliberate move to be a more inclusive employer by removing the location hurdle in hiring. It was also central to our mission to reinvent the European PR agency model by allowing us to build a close-knit team that works as one across European borders. We call this PRWithoutBorders™. As we gear up to celebrate our anniversary, we are also celebrating how the wider PR industry is following in Tyto’s footprints and embracing remote working.

The research we have released today conducted in partnership with the Pulse Business*, shows that almost a third (27%) of UK agency CEOs expect over three quarters of roles to be filled by remote workers. One in three CEOs (33%) believe more than 25% of roles could be filled by overseas workers. The vast majority of agency CEOs (83%) expect a decentralisation of the UK PR industry away from London.

Remote work in UK PR agencies

The study illustrates how remote working is sparking a transformation of the UK PR industry away from one dominant hub in London, breaking down regional borders to catalyse a more inclusive working environment. With this I believe we are witnessing the start of the greatest shift in staffing models the PR industry has experienced in the past fifty years.

Remote work is transforming the agency landscape by opening new possibilities for agencies, employees and clients. Agencies can now draw talent from across the globe, employees can choose where to live without compromising their career ambitions, and the conditions are being created for us to build a far more inclusive industry. This in turn is creating the conditions for exciting new client service models that bring clients closer to their target audiences than ever before.

We built our operating model around remote working and now are established as the European PR agency at the heart of the remote economy. Tyto’s own team is drawn together from five countries and over 30 different towns and cities. Over 90% of PR Week’s top 150 firms are clustered in London, whereas only 10% of Tyto’s team is located in the capital and 60% of its team is located outside of the UK.

Overseas workers in UK PR agencies

Reimagining the agency model in a remote-first world

Remote working is not just changing working patterns it is also enabling the creation of new agency business models. Through our PRWithoutBorders™ model for European PR we’ve found that we are able to remove inefficiencies and siloed working to deliver clients 30% more value from the same investment. We’ve also found that we are able to tap into new talent pools overseas allowing us to build a digital media hub in Spain where there’s a real depth of digital talent.

Remote working is also enabling employees to reimagine their entire lifestyles. London house prices, Brexit, the need to raise a family, and the prospect of a better quality of life overseas, alongside new digital nomad visas in the likes of Spain and Portugal are emboldening employees to leave the capital on mass as well as move abroad. Several of Tyto’s team have said goodbye to London for a better life over the past two years, with a number even leaving the UK altogether.

The boom in remote work is not only changing working patterns it has also fuelled billions of dollars of investment in new technologies and tools which is creating a business opportunity for UK agencies. This is having a knock-on impact on agency revenues with one in three CEOs (31%) saying that the remote economy has driven at least 25% of revenues over the past 12 months, and 14% of CEOs reporting it has driven more than 50% of revenues. Tyto has seen its own revenues grow by over 50% in the past year having won several clients that are supporting the remote economy including Remote and Wire.

Remote economy impact on UK PR agency revenues

What started as a temporary adjustment to life in a pandemic economy, has changed the outlook of agency leaders and suggests that over the next five years we will see a decentralisation of the agency business. Agencies that are well positioned to seize the hiring and growth opportunities from the remote economy will be sure to prosper as the world has changed now and the old ways of office-based working models are soon to be a thing of the past.

You can download the infographic with the survey results here.

And while you are here, have you ever wondered what are the significant – and often unnecessary – financial and time costs resulting from commuting? What if I told you that the average London commuter spends more than 21% of their salary per year on commuting expenses? Have a look at our ‘Cost of a London Commute’ study here.

 

*The survey findings are based upon a poll between 10-20 September 2021 from a section of The Pulse Business’ Communications Leaders Index which provides a representative view of 350 UK Agency CEOs and Board Directors.

Image ©Simon Abrams, unsplash.com

Riyah_Uddin_Location-Agnostic

My first month interning at a location-agnostic PR agency

/dans /par

My name is Riyah Uddin, and I am currently an intern at Tyto PR. In this post I discuss my experience of interning at Tyto, what it has been like working at a location-agnostic PR agency and how I adapted to remote working.

For many people, working from home has become the norm since the start of the pandemic. This is also the case for me, as I spent the last year completing my university degree from home.

When I first heard about Tyto’s remote setup, I didn’t really think much of it. Considering the current situation with Covid, I was expecting to intern at a company remotely. However, after learning more about Tyto and its location-agnostic model, I realised that the way Tyto works is very different to other companies, and I was very intrigued by this set up.

Tyto is a pan-European agency which means that the company works across Europe, mainly from the UK, France, Spain and Germany, and because of the company’s location-agnostic model, team members have the opportunity to choose where they want to work from without being confined to an office.

Transitioning from student life to a location-agnostic job

Many companies have offices in different countries with their own teams who, mainly, work confined to their own home but what I find so fascinating about Tyto is how everyone works as a collective force across nations and time zones.

Although I find every week at Tyto interesting with lots of exciting things going on, I think the first couple of weeks were especially exciting because I had the opportunity to understand the location-agnostic dynamic better and learn how other team members feel about it. Because of the flexibility this model provides, I have been able to work with people from all over the UK, France, Spain and Germany.

Even though I have previously experienced working remotely, having completed a remote internship experience and finishing off my studies at home, I was a little apprehensive at first with the idea of starting somewhere new without meeting with the team in person and working in an isolated way. I wasn’t anxious about the idea of working remotely but I think it was more about whether I would be able to understand everything and do the job well. I would say I’m someone who works and learns better by watching others so the idea of starting a new role without having other team members around – especially because this is my first experience of working in PR – was, initially, a little strange.

How to adapt to working remotely in your first job?

What helped me overcome my anxiety over this was how welcoming and helpful everyone has been. It was, also, great to learn about the co-working spaces available where we are able to meet team members and work together. I have had the opportunity to go to one of these offices a couple of times and it was really nice meeting a few team members in person and getting to know more about them and their experience at Tyto.

My time at the co-working space also allowed me to see that just because this is a remote job, it does not mean you have to work alone, and there are many opportunities available to meet with co-workers.

I remember a year ago, I had a conversation with my uncle, and he told me how he didn’t think young people could learn or gain anything by working remotely. At the time I wanted to disagree, however, I didn’t have much experience of working remotely so I couldn’t really comment on this. Since starting at Tyto, I would definitely say that there’s a lot to learn from working remotely and you can gain just as much as you would working in an office surrounded by colleagues.

It comes down to having supportive people around you and really learning to communicate well with other members of the team. My colleagues have been especially great when it comes to this. For example, when I am given a new task to complete or briefed on something, they really take the time to help me understand and they are very patient about answering any questions I may have. Keeping lines of communication open and asking lots of questions are a key part of having a successful experience with remote working.

Moreover, I think what has made my experience at Tyto so wonderful is the fact that the whole team is so kind and understanding, and I really believe the company culture is amazing here. From internal meetings to virtual lunches, Friday drinks calls and Drag Queen bingo, at Tyto we’re given the opportunity to have fun, learn and socialise on a regular basis.

Additionally, throughout my first month, I have enjoyed speaking with different members of the team about their journeys in PR and their roles at Tyto. A lot of these conversations have been very inspiring and have made me feel really excited about what lies ahead for me.

Overall, I would say that my first month at Tyto has been remarkable, I am learning so much and enjoying the work I’m doing. It has, also, cemented for me that working in PR is something that I want to continue doing.

My location-agnostic PR agency life | Charlotte Wade-Thomas

/dans /par

Hello! I am Charlotte Wade-Thomas, a Senior Consultant at Tyto, and this is my location-agnostic life. In this series, we want to highlight the freedom our model enables and how we navigate any challenges it presents.

What’s your morning routine?

I usually get up quite early, at around 6.30am and take my dog out. I then spend about an hour getting my girls up and off to school. I try to be at my desk by 8.40am so I can have a coffee in peace, check for relevant news stories and plan the day before any early meetings.

How do you organise your day?

I block out time in my Outlook calendar to help me plan my day. I try to keep time in the morning free for writing tasks or work that needs more concentration and, where possible, keep my afternoons for meetings.

When are you the most productive?

In the morning, without a doubt.

What is your favourite workplace?

My home office, as it’s nice and quiet. It’s also suitably far away from the kitchen so I’m not tempted to make too many coffees.

What’s your favourite thing about working remotely?

There are so many things I like about remote working that it’s hard to pin it down to one but working at the quiet of my own desk without background office noise or the blast of cold air from air conditioning units (which invariably I always seemed to find myself sitting under!) is a huge bonus. After years of wasting three hours of my day commuting into London (and waiting for delayed trains), I also love the freedom that remote working offers. I can do the school run and still get to the Monday morning 9am meeting on time. It gives me back time to go for a run, do the chores or just to have time for lunch with my husband. I don’t have to take annual leave just to get to sports day and can take my work with me when the schools break up so we get to see family in Italy and Somerset without using up annual leave.

What do you miss about working in an office?

I do miss seeing colleagues. Although now that life is returning to normal, I’m only a train journey into London and there are always plenty of opportunities to meet up with the London team both to work together and go for an after-work drink. The office is great but personally I’ve never found it particularly conducive to getting work done. When I worked in an office, I used to find myself saving up tasks that needed a lot of concentration for my sporadic but sacred WFH days!

Also, when I do get to go into the city now, it’s a real treat and I get to appreciate the culture and vibe of London that makes it so unique. When you are obliged to trudge in everyday, you tend to lose that feeling.

What’s your secret weapon?

My dog, Esme. Much as she can be a bit noisy on calls if she spots a cat or a squirrel in the garden or if I get a delivery, she is the perfect office companion. Her lunchtime walks are pretty much non-negotiable which is great (despite the UK weather) as it helps me focus and try to get my tasks done before we go out. And if I’m stuck on something, like coming up with a new angle on a topic or articulating a tricky comment piece, just getting out of the house and taking my thoughts to the woods on our mandatory walks seems to help me clear my thoughts.

Cost-of-a-Commute-2021

£8,230 — the unnecessary cost of a commute in 2021

/dans , /par

As covered in PRovoke Media.

Today marks the launch of Tyto’s third annual ‘Cost of a London Commute’ study.

The past year has seen a dramatic rise in the popularity of remote work, given the context of the ongoing pandemic. While last year’s report was also launched during the context of the pandemic, the last few months have seen the easing of restrictions with some businesses opting to have some of their staff return to the office, making the cost of commuting an increasingly relevant topic.

At Tyto, we firmly believe that our staff should be able to work in a place of their choosing and we created this report to contribute to the debate around alternative ways of working and the associated costs and benefits. With London still generally seen as the PR capital of Europe, we thought that analysing the cost of commuting to London for PR workers would be a great way to illustrate the significant — and often unnecessary — financial and time costs resulting from commuting.

Staff spend more than 23 days and 21% of their salary per year commuting

To put the significant cost of commuting into perspective, the average London commuter spends more than 23 days a year commuting to London, which is equivalent to working £13,500 in unpaid overtime for the average PR worker. In addition, the average cost of an annual season ticket from the most popular commuter towns and travel in London comes to nearly £5,300, as covered in PR Week.

This is further compounded for those who require wrap around childcare due to the extra time spent commuting. Per year, wrap around childcare will cost on average £2,937 which accounts for 7.7% of the average post-tax UK PR salary. This means a commuter who is a parent would spend on average £8,230 per year on commuting expenses, 21.6% of the average net PR salary.

Of course, these numbers do not include other factors that would be difficult to measure, such as how much less sleep commuters may get due to having to wake up earlier, money spent on food due to less time available for cooking at home and the additional risk of contracting an illness in a densely packed train carriage.

At Tyto, we believe working remotely benefits not only our staff, but our clients and business as well, which is why when I set the company up in 2017, I wanted to develop our business around a new location agnostic operating model. Our staff get to choose to work where they feel the most productive, with the choice of opting into a co-working space or working from home. This means they can spend the time they would otherwise spend commuting on other more productive things, whilst also removing the need for organising wrap around childcare for those who are parents. Our location agnostic approach and our pan-European team prevents Tyto from being constrained by access to talent resulting from a limited catchment area whilst building a one team culture across multiple European countries.

And we are not the only agency that sees the benefits to alternative methods of working: PR Week reported last month that the vast majority of PR leaders now favour a hybrid working model, with only 5% of those surveyed planning on returning to a five-day week at the office. Remote working was the default option since Tyto’s inception, but if the pandemic has taught the PR industry anything, it is that the full week work from a fixed office model is obsolete. Using the location agnostic model, the Tyto team delivers outstanding service to clients as a productive and well-connected agency that isn’t shackled by the costs of commuting.

I hope you find our study interesting and valuable – you can find the full report here. We would love to hear any feedback on how we can improve upon it next year.

Image ©HelloLightbulb, unsplash.com

Ilona_Mosejeva

My location-agnostic PR agency life | Ilona Mosejeva

/dans /par

Hello! I am Ilona Mosejeva, a consultant at Tyto, and this is my location-agnostic life. In this ‘My location-agnostic PR agency life’ series, we want to highlight the freedom our model enables and how we navigate any challenges it presents.

What’s your morning routine?

I usually wake up at 7:20am. Before I do either a 30-min HIIT workout or go for a run, I read the top headlines of the national UK newspapers and indulge in 10 minutes of social media browsing. I am not active on it in my personal life, but each of the channels serves me as an information source and is accustomed to what I am interested in.

A bit before 9am I am by my laptop with a cup of green tea (it is a must!) reading the daily news articles that are suited to my clients and the general tech sector. I block a slot in my diary each day to catch up on the news as this serves as a base for how I manage media relations. To understand how each publication operates, you need to monitor the topics, trends, and what each journalist covers. Of course, the abundance of information is overwhelming, but I find that investing a proportion of time each day helps me to better understand the fields where my clients operate.

How do you organise your day?

My calendar is my guide. I plan everything a few days ahead and spread my to-do’s as blocked slots across the calendar so that no deadlines are missed. In my past life as a journalist and now in PR, the nature of work is that everything is based on deadlines, hence why I find having a structure to my work is vital.

On the other hand, I always leave some wiggle room in case some breaking news happens, so that I have the capacity to jump on urgent issues. Imagine a tower that has flexible beams and a sturdy base – that is what my schedule looks like. I enjoy this pace of work as it suits my personality – I am happy when I am purposefully busy.

When are you the most productive?

From mid-morning to early afternoon, and then from late afternoon/early evening. It all depends on how I slept, to be honest.

What is your favorite workplace?

We are lucky to have a separate room in our London flat which we use as an office space. I prefer to have a minimalistic desk which is not overcrowded with stuff and things. I also prefer to have dead silence; hence I love working from home. When I worked in an open-plan office, I used to listen to MyNoise website. The Japanese garden soundtrack was my top one.

I also sometimes divert to the living room on our wide sofa when the task is more creative, and I need some headspace and changed surroundings.

What’s your favorite thing about working remotely?

I can adjust the space and the sound to how I feel that day, and I can regulate the temperature in the room as I like.

However, the biggest advantage of remote work is that I am not tied to a particular place. I can work from either home or a space which has WIFI. I must say I cannot wait for the lockdown to end – my family and my closest friends are scattered across Europe, and due to remote work I will be able to see them all more often. I am already planning how I will catch a train to Amsterdam and will be able to work from my brother’s flat or how I will be able to visit my parents and grandparents in Lithuania. During the daytime, I can carry on with my work, and then the evenings will be free to share with my beloved ones.

Besides, I am saving on commuting costs, which are quite high in London. I also feel that the time I spent commuting is given back to me. I can go for an evening run or use that time for studying – I can easily go from the office room to a couch in a few seconds and dive into my studies or just read a book uninterrupted. I remember how I read books while waiting for a train or tube, standing on one of London’s many escalators, or while being cramped in the morning train, when your book is the only space between you and another person.

What do you miss about working in an office?

Nothing, really. I enjoy the challenge that remote work presents me with. It means I need to be mindful of my colleagues and that each of us is responsible for the culture we have in our team.

That is why I enjoy random coffee breaks with my co-workers when we wind down, talk about non-work-related topics or just share our thoughts on work-related things. It is important to share all this as honesty and warmth strengthen our relationships. We are here to work on a mutual goal; therefore, I am really happy with how Tyto manages to keep our spirits high.

We also have a social committee which is responsible for our fun activities.

What’s your secret weapon?

For work-related tasks – my calendar with to-do’s slotted across the week.

For mental health – the ability to pop outside for a run and my back garden. I am already growing seedlings on all my windowsills which I will soon replant into the ground outside. In addition, we have quite a few cats in our neighbourhood that patrol the area at exact times each day, various birds including a wood pigeon that keeps returning to our garden (he has a mark on his left eye, so we know it is the same bird), and a few squirrels that reside in two particular trees. It is amazing how much nature there is, and I am happy I can rest my eyes during my breaks while observing them all.

Luke-Graham-Location-Agnostic-Life

My location-agnostic PR agency life | Luke Graham

/dans /par

Hello! I am Luke Graham, Features Editor at Tyto, and this is my location-agnostic life. In this ‘My location-agnostic PR agency life’ series, we want to highlight the freedom our model enables and how we navigate any challenges it presents.

What’s your morning routine?

On most days, I get up around 6:30am to wake up my daughter Emma to get her ready for the day. Usually, I will make tea and coffee for the family — I like my coffee black, no sugar — then feed Emma her breakfast and look after her until 8am. That’s when I’ll eat breakfast, shower, and get ready for the day.

I like to listen to the news each morning and often read the Politico London Playbook: a daily newsletter about the big political events (and scandals) happening in Westminster and around the UK.

If there’s time before work, I like to take the dog out for a walk or go for a run through the nearby countryside. This really helps me to clear my head and prepare for the day.

How do you organise your day?

I have a weekly planner which I manage and add tasks to each day. That guides me on what work I need to do, but I also keep an eye on Slack to see what content I might be able to help with and to receive messages from colleagues asking me to work on an assignment. I also like to write down to-do lists for the day, and I have a notebook where I can keep track of any big events or tasks each month.

When are you the most productive?

Try as I might, I’m not a morning person. I’m much more productive in the afternoons, usually after a few more cups of coffee and some lunch. If I’m struggling to focus, I like to take a short walk to clear my head and mull over the work at hand. More often than not, I will come back to my desk with renewed focus and a solution in mind to whatever problem I was grappling with.

What is your favourite workplace?

I’m very happy with my current office set up. It’s in a converted garage, so it’s a little cold, but I have a wide desk with a few plants, picture frames and decorations put up. Also, I’m sat in front of several large windows, so I enjoy plenty of sunlight and can stare at the trees and greenery opposite our house.

What’s your favourite thing about working remotely?

It’s lovely not having to commute an hour or more each way to the office every day. Working from home means that when I take breaks I can chat with my wife and give my daughter a hug, which is wonderful. If I was commuting, I’d get home from work after Emma’s bedtime, so would hardly see her all day.

To be truthful, a small part of me does miss commuting. I always enjoyed having some dedicated time each day just to listen to a podcast, read, or watch an episode of a TV show on my tablet. Of course, on many days I couldn’t enjoy any of these activities, because the Tube was packed with commuters like sardines in a tin. I really don’t miss that!

What do you miss about working in an office?

Not much. I do miss the impromptu chats and overhearing people’s jokes and conversations, thought at Tyto my colleagues are very good at reaching out through the day and making time to chat.

I also miss the office snack table, where people would bring in treats to help everyone get through the day — although my waistline is probably better off without it!

One thing I do really miss is walking through London each day. My old office was based in the City, so most days I would walk over London Bridge and enjoy the brilliant views up and down the Thames.

What’s your secret weapon?

Honestly, it’s the little electric heater next to my chair. If it ever gets too cold, I can switch that on and feel toasty within minutes, which helps me feel comfortable and more able to concentrate.

There’s also my cat, Peanut. She’s basically my officemate. She often wanders over to my desk looking to be stroked or demanding food, so I appreciate her companionship while working.

Commute-Cost-Waste-Money

Up to 28% of your salary is wasted when you commute to the office

/dans , , /par

Have you ever considered how much money you throw away just because you commute to the office? I’m not saying that working from home doesn’t involve costs (electricity, internet, etc.) and you might even have to set up a new room with office equipment such as a desk, a second screen for your laptop and a printer. But, really, have you ever stopped to consider what share of your salary you are wasting by being forced to work in an office? I’m sure it’s crossed your mind at some point when you’ve been working remotely during the pandemic. But if you haven’t thought about it until now and you’re reading this article, you probably want to know and, as you may have guessed, at Tyto we carry out an annual study where we calculate this figure.

According to our Cost of Commute report, London commuters are paying out up to 28% of their annual average net post tax salary just to get to the office. Yes, you read that right. 28% of your average salary (about £8,000) will be dedicated exclusively to being able to get to work. If you are parent almost a third of your salary could be taken up by travel and wrap around child care. If you don’t have children, the average cost of commuting to the office is ‘only’ £5,114 per year or 18% of the average annual London net post tax salary.

But the cost of working face-to-face is more than just financial; there is also a time cost. And as we are always told, time is money. The average cost of a commute to London equates to 23.5 full 24-hour days per year.  Over a ten-year period, that is 235 full 24-hour days, which is the equivalent of one full working year of 24-hour days of a person’s life after you have deducted holidays. Employees spend the equivalent of one entire working year of their lives commuting over a ten-year period. Can you imagine all the things you could do in that lost year on the metro, bus or train?

There are clearly large financial and time costs involved in not having the possibility to remote work and being obliged to work face-to-face. However, there are other costs, although they are more difficult to calculate objectively. These are those related to health and welfare and include, among others, greater restrictions on where you choose to live because you need to commute each day to a big city, higher property costs and less flexibility when securing schooling and childcare for children, more stress from travelling during peak hours… And if we consider the current situation, another negative effect is more apprehension about being exposed to viruses in cramped commuting spaces.

Towards a location-agnostic future

Working from home is not an option for all economic sectors. There are jobs that, by their very nature, must be done face-to-face. But there are many industries (including PR and marketing) where not having a fully remote or at least a hybrid model combining on-site and remote working, now feels like a very antiquated approach. It is difficult to defend a 100% on-site model in the office after seeing the positive impact that telecommuting has had on thousands of workers. The benefits for the employee are undeniable: better health and welfare, more leisure time to spend with family and friends, and less unnecessary expenses.

Tyto has been a pioneer in the implementation of location-agnostic work, which goes beyond remote work. Basically, our staff can work from anywhere: be it a large European capital, a medium-sized city or a village in the middle of the countryside. The choice is yours. The agency was created in 2017, long before Covid-19, with this model for three very strong reasons:

  • Productivity: A fast-paced dynamic agency is limited by long round-trip commutes.
  • Talent: A fixed office is the greatest constraint on access to talent as it limits the catchment area from which to recruit the best people.
  • Connection: Offices are building barriers between people when you seek to build a one team culture across multiple European countries.

You may be now asking yourself ‘How do you work when you have never had an office?’. That is the same question that Felicity Hannah, host of BBC Radio 4’s Money Box, asked our Partner, Zoë Clark. In Zoë’s own words, “really for us it’s all about flexibility and just simply not being tied by the constraints of location”. Although not having a shared office may seem lonely, at Tyto we have numerous team-building initiatives. As Zoë explains, “we do a lot of social activities even in a remote sense as well. We have virtual team get-togethers, we have things like a virtual book club, we have exercise groups, we have all sorts of things that we are doing but remotely”. Furthermore, “We also do a lot of forward planning. I think that is one key thing for any employer, I think you have to think maybe a little bit further ahead than what you would do if you were in an office”.

Living and working hundreds of miles away from your employer is feasible hence more and more workers are demanding this new model. It could mean a lot to their personal life and finances as we have already mentioned. But this new model also has advantages for our clients because “We are able to offer more value to our clients. We can offer about 20-30% more value for the same budget than companies who do have physical office spaces”. You can listen to the full interview here.

We believe happier, healthier, and more financially secure employees are a great thing for the economy. In our case as a PR company, we believe that the real winners are our clients because they get to work with the very best people we can attract, not just those who can do a daily commute. To me, it’s ridiculous that London bound commuters do the equivalent of £10,020 worth of unpaid overtime per year to get to the office. I believe it’s time to change the way we work. It just doesn’t make sense for commuters to give away time and money just to get to work when they could do the same thing perfectly from their homes. We must move steadily along the path of location-agnostic working.

 

Image ©Colin Watts, Unsplash.com

Morad-Salehi

My location-agnostic PR agency life | Morad Salehi

/dans /par

Hello! I am Morad Salehi, a Senior Consultant at Tyto, and this is my location-agnostic life. In this ‘My location-agnostic PR agency life’ series, we want to highlight the freedom our model enables and how we navigate any challenges it presents.

What’s your morning routine?

I usually wake up around 7.30 but I’m not a morning person, so my first step is to make some coffee to really wake up. Then I turn on my computer and begin a news sweep on what happened the day before in France and in the markets relevant to my clients.

How do you organise your day?

I like to think I’m very organised. I make my to-do list every Monday for the week ahead and use a color code to manage my priorities. I update this to-do list as the days go by in order to stay ahead of things.

I start the day by going through my messages and emails to check for immediate priorities and then normally use the morning for reaching out to journalists, while the afternoon is more focused on content production.

When are you the most productive?

I try to remain constant throughout the day, but I admit I do have a soft spot for working in the afternoon or early evening — it’s quieter and there are less emails and messages, so I can focus even more and finish the different missions and pieces of content I’m working on.

What is your favourite workplace?

I’m quite traditional and like to work on my desk in my living room but sometimes, when the weather is nice enough, I also like to work on my balcony. Also, from time to time, my friends and I gather at one of our homes to work together and try to recreate the office environment. Tyto’s PR Without Borders model comes as a great opportunity to be flexible and not be tied to a specific location or workplace, so we can work from anywhere, which is a great advantage in terms of flexibility.

What’s your favourite thing about working remotely?

Definitely the ability to choose my location. Especially in these particular times, we have to make sure we’re satisfied and comfortable with our work environment. Working remotely also means we can work from anywhere we want, beyond home, even just temporarily for a change of scenery. Also, it gives me more freedom to organise my day as I see fit, without being bound by specific office opening hours, for instance. Finally, no more time spent on commute!

What do you miss about working in an office?

I guess just the feeling of working with colleagues and talking with them during breaks at the coffee machine, for instance. However, this is quite easily recreated with the tools at our disposal — we can chat on Slack, see each other on Zoom, and so on.

What’s your secret weapon?

Coffee is a must-have and my new best friend. Also, highlighters: they are a key element to my daily organisation – and make my to-do list more colorful, which is always nice to look at.

My location-agnostic PR agency life | Ann-Katrin Leyva

/dans /par

Hello! I am Ann-Katrin Leyva, a consultant at Tyto, and this is my location-agnostic life. In this ‘My location-agnostic PR agency life’ series, we want to highlight the freedom our model enables and how we navigate any challenges it presents.

What’s your morning routine?

My alarm usually goes off around 7 AM, but I often snooze once or twice. I usually check my Slack and emails briefly right after my alarm, so I know what’s coming up for the day. When I finally get up, I get ready, prepare my breakfast, and then head to the living room for a 15-minute yoga session.

Actually, I’ve never been very interested in that kind of sport, but for some time now I’ve been noticing how it sets me up in the morning: I really wake up, completely “stretch” my body and mind and feel completely balanced after just 15 minutes of doing yoga. Nevertheless, coffee is not to be missed. For me, there’s nothing better than opening my laptop with two cups – one with tea, one with coffee – and my muesli and getting going.

How do you organise your day?

To organize myself, I’ve really tried a lot of tools: Whether it’s a desk full of post-its, a notepad or something similar – it didn’t work for me. My secret recipe to forget as little as possible is Outlook. For everything that’s relevant, even if it’s just an important mail I still have to write, I create an appointment in my calendar. It then pops up 15 minutes before as a reminder and gives me the pressure to work on the task. Of course, it doesn’t always work out, but this method gives me the feeling that nothing important goes by the board.

When are you the most productive?

Definitely in the morning. Since all German (and European) colleagues like me start one hour before the ones in the UK due to the time difference, I usually use this time to work on important to-dos for which I need 100 percent of attention. My late mornings and afternoons are often used for phone calls or other tasks.

What is your favorite workplace?

I really love working from home, because: My workplace gives me the peace and silence I need. I can ventilate or heat whenever I want, work with bare feet in the summer and with a wool blanket in the winter. Before I’ve started working at Tyto, I had a “normal” job in a “normal” office and was often distracted by my colleagues at the time. That doesn’t happen to me anymore. The only thing that sometimes causes me to lose focus is the mail truck, which I can watch through my window. That’s handy for the postman, because I’m often already waiting at the door without him having to ring the bell.

What’s your favorite thing about working remotely?

Looking out the window, watching the pouring rain and sitting at my desk in the apartment with wool socks and a hot tea.

What do you miss about working in an office?

Tyto really does everything it can to foster our team spirit – and with success. But of course, a video call is no substitute for a face-to-face conversation with a colleague. I miss the kitchen gossip, the office grapevine. I think that’s important for interpersonal relationships, because these situations are the best way to really get to know people. I compensate for this by having 1:1 virtual coffees with my colleagues on a regular basis.

What’s your secret weapon?

My husband! He also works remotely and initially we thought that it would certainly be exhausting if both of us were « only » at home. But on the contrary, we admittedly see quite little of each other during the day. Still, it’s a nice feeling to just pop over to say hello or have a quick coffee together.

My location-agnostic PR agency life | Pauline Delorme

/dans , /par

Hello! I am Pauline Delorme, a consultant at Tyto, and this is my location-agnostic life. In this series, we want to highlight the freedom our model enables and how we navigate any challenges it presents.

What’s your morning routine?  

My alarm usually goes off at 7:30am. In the morning, I like to have some time for myself before jumping into the day. Over the past few weeks, I have been aiming to dedicate at least 10 minutes to meditation. Thanks to Tyto’s Wellbeing Allowance, I have recently subscribed to Headspace, and I found it to be very effective to start the day with a clear mindset. 

I also try to do some yoga and some stretching. Since the start of the pandemic, I realised how important it is to take good care of ourselves, after all it’s one of the few things we can control!   

How do you organise your day?  

I usually start the day by reviewing the latest news both from France and the UK to get an understanding of the news agenda of the day in these two markets, as I cover media relations for my clients in these two countries.  

I also spend time reviewing my diary, emails and slack notifications and update my to–do list for the day accordingly. Depending on how the day is looking, I also try to block some time in my diary to ensure I have some time to focus on the most important tasks for the day and the rest of the week.  

When are you the most productive?  

This really depends but I would say in the early morning or early afternoon. What works best for me is to switch off my notifications on Slack and emails and start a timer so that I stay focused on what I am working on. 

I also aim to go out for a quick walk before working on a big task. At the moment, I am lucky to leave right next to the sea and there is nothing more refreshing than a walk on the beach!  

What is your favourite workplace?  

At the moment, I would say my favourite workplace is simply at home in the UK. I have organised my desk in such a way that I feel very productive. For instance, I bought a proper office chair which made a huge difference. I also use a second monitor for my computer and I now find it very difficult to work without it.  

The beauty of remote working is to be able to work from different places. I love the fact that I can also work from my hometown Lyon in France if I want!  

What’s your favourite thing about working remotely?  

I love the fact that I can cook my lunch at home. It is great to be able to control what I am eating and it’s a very efficient way to save some money. 

What do you miss about working in an office?  

Even though I am constantly in touch with my colleagues either via Slack or Zoom, working from home can feel a little bit lonely sometimes. Especially in the current situation where it is difficult to meet family and friends. So, what I would say I miss the most is the social aspect of work, the possibility to meet for a coffee with a colleague or go for drinks in the evening.  

What helps with this is to take the time to organise what we call at Tyto a “Virtual Coffee”, a 30–minute call with a colleague to speak about anything but work. It is a great way to check on each other and catch-up on our lives. 

What’s your secret weapon?  

My Nespresso coffee machine! This was a Christmas gift I got last year, and it makes such a difference to my days! Even though I definitely need to improve my “latte art” skills, I love having the possibility to drink great quality coffee like I would in a coffee shop!