How Bright Network’s ultra-flexible work policy is helping our team make the world their office!

We recently caught up with Ellen McLoughlin (Financial Controller), Jesús Garcia (Senior B2B Marketing Executive) and Paul Porter (Platform Partnerships Director) to hear about how they’ve taken advantage of this fantastic policy by bringing their work to France, Spain and Switzerland.

Tell us about how you’ve made the most of Bright Network’s ‘Work from anywhere’ policy!

Paul: I’m lucky to have my sister-in-law based on the shores of Lake Geneva, so I regularly take trips to Switzerland to visit her and work remotely. The mental health benefits of working somewhere different for a while are huge, and of course, having family there means my accommodation costs are kept low.

Jesús: As I’m originally from Cádiz in the south of Spain, I have lots of friends and family there who I would only otherwise be able to see on selected occasions such as Christmas. Because I can do my job remotely, I regularly go back to spend time with them without needing to take time off work.

Ellen: My parents have been living in France for the past few years and sadly I don’t see that much of them. Working remotely means that I am able to spend more time with them without having to use annual leave. I’m so grateful for our ‘work from anywhere’ policy as it allows me to balance work and life more easily. 

What’s the best part of working from anywhere?

Paul: In Switzerland I can take advantage of going for a swim in the lake at lunch or exploring the markets. But the best part definitely has to be closing your laptop at the end of the day and then immediately feeling like you are on holiday. Then on weekends, you can go and see more of the country without the hassle of lengthy travel times that you’d have if doing a weekend trip from the UK. 

Ellen: Being able to escape London to the countryside is lovely - I feel really refreshed and energised after a week of clean air and quiet! The one hour time difference also means that I can start my work day a little later and go for a cycle most mornings to the boulangerie. The nice weather also means that I can spend lunchtimes topping up my tan too!

What challenges do you face whilst working away?

Paul: Delays to flights or travel arrangements can break the best laid plans and having to manage an important or confidential call in the middle of a busy airport is not ideal. That being said the whole team (and clients usually) are very understanding! 

Jesús: Forgetting things in the UK - for example, on my most recent to Spain, I left my laptop charger in my flat in London! Secondly, staying connected with my team whilst in a different time zone can sometimes be tricky, but in my case Spain is only an hour ahead, so it’s not too much of a challenge!

What recommendations do you have for anyone preparing to work remotely?

Ellen: Make sure where you’re going has decent Wi-Fi! Knowing my parents’ house in France had good internet makes the whole experience much more enjoyable and stress-free. I’d also recommend thinking about what equipment you might need to work effectively - for example, I bring a portable mouse and keyboard with me. And a big cardboard box cut open can be very useful for shading your laptop if you are outside in the sun! 

Jesús: When the really critical work is done, make sure you clock-off and enjoy yourself. Fill yourself with creativity and knowledge and share your experience with the rest of your team to inspire them to do something similar in the future (and maybe make them a little envious!).

Paul: Think about time difference with the UK and manage your calendar accordingly. When in Switzerland, I work adjusted hours to avoid losing an hour of that holiday feeling in the evenings. Oh, and always take a second plug adaptor, just in case!