Hello From Home

Thank you all for gathering. First thing — obviously there’s a lot of change. So we’re going to meet more often. We’re going to do all-hands meetings once a week.

Second of all, we’re in a healthy, stable place. There’s a reason we run lean and stay busy. This is that reason. The future is very, very murky right now. But we are truly okay.

Related to that, being busy is good. We want to deal with this transition proactively and then get everyone back to focusing on work, because there’s still a lot to do and it needs to get done. And we think in times like this, having lots to do is actually a really good thing.

Reach out to our clients. Tell them we are here to help, and that we have lots of advice about the transition to working from home. They’re going through transitions of their own and facing challenges. Some of the decisions they make will be in their best interests and maybe not our best interests. Regardless, listen to them, and help them. Lives and relationships are long. Help them succeed.

Take care of each other. We really value the way the team supports each other and boosts each other up. Virtual kitchen beers are great. It’s also great to see the NYC culture mixing in with our remote culture. Keep it going, and get involved. Socially distanced Zoom houseplant sharing is a lot better than panicking on Twitter.

Be mindful that it’s not just NYC doing something different. We’re global. The Lebanon team has also gone home and is dealing with a lot of other challenges, too.

Communicate what’s going on with others. Overcommunicate to the people around you and to your manager. Keep the HR system updated. You’re essential, and we need to keep this network tight and connected.

If you’re wondering how someone is doing because you haven’t seen them in a day, say hello.

Take a minute and think about how you’re feeling and realize that everyone around you feels roughly the same. You, your reports, your manager, our clients. We’re all feeling this stress. People might snap at each other, or read too much into a Slack or video call, or make a bad joke, or get angry about someone’s bad joke. You will, we will, everyone will.

So please be quick to apologize and quick to forgive.

Let me say that again: Be quick to apologize and quick to forgive.

And overcommunicate. Say important things more than once and say “I’m overcommunicating here.”

Overcommunicate.

Use the free counseling sessions from our health care provider. Take time off if you’re overwhelmed.

If you’re a caregiver, coordinate and talk to your peers and manager. We’re here to support your situation and cover for one another.

If you can find help at home (sitter, etc.), we’ll pay for it.

We’re pausing PTO tracking for any caregivers that need that flexibility. Don’t worry about time off.

From day one Postlight has never been about the time we put in but rather the work we do. When you’re home and you find a quiet pocket, take it. Go for a walk (even if that means a walk around your place). Play with your kids. Take breaks in the middle of your day. If you’re feeling pressure, talk to your manager or any of the partners.

Our clients are in this with us. If we need to ask them to bend a bit — that’s okay. Leadership will provide that cover if need be and have those conversations.

Make your work environment at home as comfortable as possible. We’ll cover the costs. We have a lot of ideas here. Some of us have been remote for many years.

Wednesday lunch is still on. Expense it. There will be a Zoom every week. We can watch each other eat. It will be terrible and awkward.

We’ll totally get through this, intact, as a company and a community. That’s the plan. Even if things get tough, we’re going to stick together. We were designed to adapt to the circumstances around us. That’s part of client services. These are weird circumstances. But we’ll adapt to them. Humans are very adaptable.

Take deep breaths, look away from the news — it will still be there, we swear — and help the people around you get their work done. Keep each other busy.

Open a window.

Overcommunicate.

Be quick to apologize and quick to forgive.

We won’t get through this alone and grinding.

We will get through it together.