Embracing remote work: Voyage from Christchurch to London

Flashback to 2020, when the pandemic saw tens of millions of people around the globe move to their home office to complete their daily tasks. This period was revolutionary in breaking down the mindset and technological barriers to remote working. Driven by necessity, on a national and global scale we suddenly saw what was possible, especially with vastly improved communications and collaboration technology at our disposal.

In New Zealand, more than 40% of employed people did at least some of their work from home during the lockdown in April and early May 2020. By Alert Level 1, 83% were working outside the home and 29% at home. Come 2024 and businesses have largely settled into a flexible, hybrid approach, with remote working still a common option. In March of 2024, Stats NZ completed a survey that found flexible working hours are offered by 81% of businesses, and 43% of employees have the option to work from home.

At Voyage, from the very first stages of the company, remote work has always been an option. It just made sense as we prioritised skills and cultural fit, more so than wanting people to be able to physically be in the office (although that’s nice too). Over time we’ve discovered the realities of having a global team, what works best, and how the remote working experience can differ person to person. Trust and a welcoming atmosphere is the central pillar of what makes this arrangement work, and putting this into the heart of everything we do has paid off time and again.

Around the world from London to New Zealand

I recently chatted with some of our core remote workers - from London to the Philippines and back to New Zealand - to explore the reality of both working from home and across borders.

First off the block we’re headed to London, to introduce the dynamic duo of Voyage Developers - Jess Small and Keziah Rackley-Gale - who call this central hub of the United Kingdom home. Many of Voyage’s team have interesting stories of how they came into their profession, and the London duo are no different.

From coding her first HTML on Tumblr to pursuing a Software Engineering degree, Jess's journey into development was sparked early. What would become a pivotal moment for her career was a university project, where she built a real client website from scratch. In completing the entire process from requirements and estimates to the final build, Jess found a new career path before her.

For Keziah, she says “I sort of fell into development.” After completing an English degree at University, she saw an ad online for a UX design and web development course. From a seed of interest to a newfound love, Keziah completed the course, moved into an internship and was away.

Choosing cultural fit over technical skill alone

Skill and cultural fit are both central to Voyage’s hiring process, which champions human-to-human connection and genuine communication. This helps both the Voyage team and potential new team member to ascertain whether it will be the right fit. A robust remote working culture starts from here.

What drew Jess to Voyage was evident from the very beginning - that is, the emphasis on people and culture over solely technical prowess. Compared to other interviews that focused more on the technical side, which of course is important, Voyage stood out for its holistic approach to team integration.

She says, “I chose Voyage as from the first interview I could tell how much they valued people and how their staff are treated. A lot of other interviews I did only asked me technical questions and didn’t seem to care much about me or how I’d fit into the team.”

Following glowing reviews from former colleagues about Voyage's culture and leadership, Keziah's decision to join was serendipitous. Timing aligned perfectly with her desire to explore new opportunities.

She says, “A couple of people from my previous job left to work at Voyage, they had great things to say about Ryan and the team, and then Shan contacted me to ask if I'd be interested in an interview. He contacted me at a time when I felt ready to leave my previous position, so it worked out nicely.”

From Christchurch to the world, making the leap to live overseas

Motivated by a desire for adventure and easy travel access, Jess chose London as her new base. Armed with friends already in the city, she embarked on a new chapter that played right into her love of big cities. Longing for urban life after growing up in rural North Canterbury, Keziah's move to London was a natural progression. With UK citizenship and family ties, London offered the ideal blend of familiarity and opportunity.

Originally planning to seek local employment upon arriving in London, Jess's move was eased by Voyage's offer to work remotely. Talking with Ryan, Voyage’s Director, and Shan, our General Manager, the decision was made to keep Jess on the team from London. A similar story played out with Keziah. After expressing her intent to relocate, she was presented with the option to continue her journey with Voyage remotely. Amidst a big life change, working for Voyage remained consistent.

In both the case of Jess and Keziah, it was a no-brainer to offer remote working as an option. Despite the potential challenges of time zone differences, both developers had established a hearty degree of trust during their time working in-person at the Christchurch headquarters.

Creating a remote working culture based on trust

When it comes to any working relationship, but especially remote work, trust is everything. As reported by PwC, at hybrid companies 68% of executives say they trust employees equally, whether they work in-person or remotely. Just 20% of bosses say they trust in-person employees more - and yet, 31% of employees think they do. The same survey found 93% of business execs agree building and maintaining trust improves the bottom line, and 86% of executives say they highly trust their employees, but only 60% of employees feel highly trusted.

One of the best ways to build a sense of trust is through pressure-free communication. Staying connected to the team, regular check-ins, and clear task lists can develop a sense of camaraderie and support. In addition, both Jess and Keziah attest to the fact there are certain tricks that help to stay focused and connected while remote working, and that having a strong company culture empowers people to be autonomous, flexible and understanding.

As Jess says, “It’s great to work for Voyage internationally. Everyone is super accommodating. For example, they’re able to get on meetings in the evenings in New Zealand time and vice versa.”

Both Jess and Kez have weekly catch-ups with Shan and Ryan, run stand-ups for projects, and where possible will join the Monday morning meeting to catch up with the broader team. As for the Kathleen in the Phillipines and the Kiwi remote workers, the likes of Slack, Google Drive, and video chats allows for everyone to remain on the same page when it comes to work, and share all-important puppy pics and memes.

Adventures and adjustments while working remotely

The beauty of a company culture that subsists on trust and camaraderie is it allows for diversity of thought and location. To support people in their lives in and outside of work leads to a stronger team and better work outcomes overall.

Both Jess and Keziah's stories are a bold tale of taking a leap, and how our digital age facilitates living and working miles from your employer’s headquarters. What wasn’t an option only a few years ago is now a common part of any dynamic and successful team.

The rest of this blog series explores more on remote work and new ways of bringing people together, introducing our New Zealand remote team and delving into tips and tricks to get the most out of your remote working setup.