The truth is, we’ve tried the things everyone else has tried, and we learned by trial and error. We’re also not bound by the idea that “we have always done it like this, so this is how it will go forward.” Along the way, we’ve found many ways to stay connected, keep up relationships with co-workers, and be even more productive without the need for traditional office space.

Here’s some of what we’ve learned.

Virtual Agency Connectivity & Productivity Tools We Can’t Live Without

When we first went fully remote, we were process-agnostic: If it didn’t work, we wouldn’t keep trying for the sake of it. Reinvention became the new normal, and over time, we’ve found a variety of trusted tools that we now can’t live without. They include:

Slack

We use Slack for all the things. It’s how we chat internally to align on tasks, move past project blockers, and communicate availability. Since team members can’t tell if you’re heads down on a task or away for a quick break, it’s how we let each other know when responses may be delayed.

Zoom

Our go-to tool for virtual meetings (obviously!). We love its ease of use and ability to screenshare and sync with Google Calendar.

Confluence & Jira

Our PMs pair these tools to track projects, tickets, issues, and sprints; they also work seamlessly with our time-tracking and invoicing platform, Harvest.

Harvest Timer App

Press start, press stop, and accurately track time spent on each new task. No fuss, no muss. One team member reveals: “When my last agency moved away from Harvest, I spent years trying to find a satisfactory time-tracking tool (with no luck).” 

Figma

A great tool for component-based design and prototyping with the ability to collaborate in real time. We especially love Figjam’s shared online whiteboard, sticky notes, timer & drawing tools.

Google Suite

We use the full array of tools — gCal, gDocs, gSlides, gSheets, etc. — to collaborate on deliverables with entirely remote internal and client teams. This eliminates the need to juggle multiple versions of files, as the updated history tracks changes if we ever need to reference them.

Basecamp 4

A great client communication platform that provides a shared “digital folder” organizer functionality, so clients can easily search for and access links or files — without endlessly scouring their email inboxes.

Airtable

One of our favorite online tools for managing data in spreadsheet format with relationship filtering, status tracking, collaboration tools, and custom views.

Notion

Great for making weekly to-do lists and tracking reoccurring tasks.

Freedom.to

Helps get work done more efficiently, including an app-blocker to help cut out social media & other digital distractions.

Maintaining Personal Connections

From a work standpoint, there are always regular project standups, geekbot surveys, bi-weekly 1:1s with managers, standing design crits on Thursdays, and more. But we’ve found that staying together socially is something else entirely.

Lessons learned include:

Make Room for Everyone

Our programming is built so that our most introverted and extroverted people can all have space in their lives for more than work. The secret sauce is letting our people be people. Yes, there are always deadlines and billable hours, but there’s a reason why when people ask why they stay at the company, they always say, “The People.” We make room for our humanity from everyone. This brings us closer and makes us better teammates. We find that asking for help from the finance guru/Partner is easier for some once they know he considers Collision Course a no-skip album. And you should have seen how team members recently bonded over chats about Ina Garten’s controversial three-slice bagel routine.

When in Doubt, There’s Probably a Slack Channel for It

Going on a trip to Niagara Falls? See you in our #travel channel. Want to show off the crochet blanket you made? Head over to #stuff-we-make-that-isn’t-work-stuff. Having trouble with your teenager or the terrible two’s finally activated on your young ones? Find support in #raising-the-standard.

Enjoy a Donut

We pair individuals for bi-weekly Donut meetings (a Slack add-on). Once matched, the app connects to their Google calendars, and they schedule a 30-minute chat, trying not to talk too much about work. This is how you discover which teammate is redoing their kitchen and who worked on art installations over the weekend.

We also post random donut questions to see what we can excavate about the incredible humans we call teammates. A 100-reply thread about whether or not a taco is a sandwich is just a regular Tuesday.

Learn With Zoom Lunch Sessions

We’re busy, so sometimes there’s maybe a half hour of space on a Tuesday AM or a Thursday PM. We’ll take it if we can, but most of our event work happens at noon. We try to look at our people’s whole experience. Need an education on change theory or a space to talk about raising kids? We’ve got you covered. The greatest part is that lunch sessions aren’t always company-directed. Our Director of Web Development, who brings his fishing rod to conferences and would be the MVP of any zombie apocalypse team, will guide people through an upcoming three-part seminar around fire, potable water, and knots. We send out materials kits, and everyone who expressed interest logs in to learn.

Express Yourself Creatively With The ES Salon

ES Salons are built to share, learn, create, and debate as fully informed, creative people. We’ve had photography sessions and revealed musical opinions, and we’ll gather for a paint party later this season. All of these things make your PM coworker in Brooklyn or that quiet Technical Account Coordinator someone you can connect with.

Friday Roundup Is a Sacred Time

This weekly all-hands company meeting is the one time when everyone is on the same Zoom plane, and the format is simple: We run through housekeeping items (think PTO, holidays & upcoming speaker events), team members share inspirational materials they’ve been working on, and leadership gives high-level company updates. We also acknowledge birthdays and anniversaries, ensuring that team members receive their special gifts (spa certificates or La Creuset are favored items). Accolades — the verbal counterpart to our Slack channel — allow people to thank those who helped them in the week, delivered excellent work, or were just quality human beings. We then say goodbye with an outgoing tune by our beloved dev, DJ Jeremy, who has recently graced us with Bad Bunny and Jay-Z to roll us into our Friday workdays.

Stay Up With the (Eastern Standard) Times

This archive of our Friday Roundups is perfect for those who PTO’d out or did not have their coffee that morning. We distribute this company newsletter company-wide, along with applicable links and other important updates.

Our Team’s Top 10 Work-From-Home Tips

As a virtual agency, our team spans everyone from creatives to developers to project managers, and staying productive means different things to different roles. We asked them for their go-to strategies for staying engaged and efficient from their remote office spaces. Here’s what they had to say:

1. Set up a dedicated happy/functional home workspace distinct from your living space & tidy up at the end of each workday. Make sure it includes:

• A well-stocked desk with comfortable seating
• Quality headphones
• Dual monitors, if your role requires them, or one screen large enough for multitasking — one team member finds their giant 43″ curved monitor a “workflow game changer”
• A desk light with an adjustable arm and variable lighting settings for “work mode” vs. “client meeting mode”
• A planner and plenty of Post-Its, pens, and paper for daily to-do’s & quick meeting notes. They help to take a break from typing!

 2. Establish a morning routine to get into work mode. If you’re a coffee lover, kickstart your day with a coffee boost, but don’t overdo it. One team member’s secret tip: “I time my brew to begin right before I wake up so I can rise to the smell of fresh coffee. It’s the best!”

  3. Dress well to feel good (that means wearing “real” pants most days…)

4. Pay attention to how you work best and communicate it to the people you collaborate with/deliver to.

5. Block calendar time out for specific tasks, lunchtime, and regular short breaks to take in some sunshine and move your body.

6. Set calendar events and reminders for critical tasks.

7. Hold quick impromptu Slack huddles or Zoom meetings to address ad hoc questions and remove pesky project blockers.

8. Stay on top of tech updates — running a slow machine or outdated software is a productivity killer. For example, Zoom often requires updates without prior notice. One team member starts each Wednesday by checking and installing them so she can ensure access to future meetings without delays.

9. Feeling uninspired? Dig into your secret chocolate stash or have a 5-minute dance party!

10. Disconnect at the end of the day & follow a regular nighttime routine. Sleep is king when it comes to feeling reenergized when you’re back “at” work the next morning.

If you leave with nothing else, understand that building a thriving virtual agency culture is an evolutionary process. Our best advice? Do your research, actively solicit regular input from your team, and don’t hesitate when their feedback indicates you should scrap what isn’t working in favor of trying something new.

We’re always on the lookout for great talent. View open positions on LinkedIn.

About Toni Irving, Eastern Standard People Experience Manager

As our key developer of company culture and facilitator of operations — spanning everything from HR and recruitment initiatives to professional development and policy builds — Toni is all about committing to innovation and respecting the process to get there. Having studied at both Loyola University New Orleans and the Community College of Philadelphia, she will graduate from Chestnut Hill College in August with a BS in Organizational Dynamics.