Take a Seat from Anywhere with RFH
Written by: Kelley Cox, Director, Growth (she/her)
Last year, Razorfish Health debuted our new working philosophy, Connect From Anywhere. This work from anywhere–type model was inspired by our core value of meaningful connection, where we strive to foster connection not just through the work that we do but also among ourselves. The global pandemic forced many companies to re-examine which working structures were the most beneficial to their employees and their work. At RFH, we are committed to putting our people first and that meant ensuring that our “workplace” was modern, flexible, and fit the needs of our people.
Connect From Anywhere makes sure that every employee is supported and set up for success, whether they decide to work remotely, on-site, or a hybrid of the two. It’s been a year since we switched to this model, so we sat down with talent who use each of these methods to see how it’s going for them:
Roshan Owais (she/her) – Senior Project Manager // Remote
Dan Criscitelli (he/him) – Director, Finance // On-site
Taylor Jones, PharmD, BCPS (she/her) – Associate Scientific Director, Medical // Hybrid
So take a seat, a couch, or a quiet corner of your favorite coffee shop to see what it’s been like at RFH lately.
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1. Some of us would have never imagined that our day-to-day working arrangement would ever be the way it is today. Describe your current work setup – how has RFH's approach to flexible and remote work surprised you?
RO: RFH’s remote work setup has enabled me to be flexible with my time, deliverables, and personal needs. My current setup is working from home in Brooklyn, with access to the NYC office, and a team and clientele based in Chicago. During the holidays, I work in the Philippines following the Central Time Zone. RFH’s current setup is great because I am rarely caught in a situation where I must choose between work and personal life.
DC: I live very close to the Philadelphia office and have 2 young children at home (1 and 3 years old). As a result, walking 1.1 miles to the Wanamaker building is a great way to clear my head, get some fresh air/exercise, and go to an office space where they have coffee made, people to say hello to in the halls, and office equipment set up for my needs. It's also incredible to have a true separation between my home life and work life.
There are situations where I travel to the shore in the summer, or on an extended vacation where I need to work a day or 2 remotely. It's fantastic having the flexibility to do that and not be stressed about missing out on what’s going on in the office.
TJ: I went from working full-time in a hospital, to a completely remote work environment. It was an adjustment, and I missed being around people throughout the day. When the offices started allowing people back in, I was very interested to make it part of my routine. For the past 7 or 8 months, I have made an effort to go into the office about once a week—sometimes twice! It certainly helps to have friends who are interested in coming into the office as well. I absolutely love the work-life balance it allows employees to have. But, let’s be honest, sometimes it can be distracting to be at home when you know there are 100 non–work-related items on your to-do list. So going into the office brings me into a super productive headspace and helps me recenter myself regularly.
2. Some of us look back at our previous work arrangements and are amazed, not only at how much things changed, but also at how quickly and seamlessly we were able to go back to working effectively. How has connecting from anywhere changed your approach to collaborating with colleagues and delivering for our clients?
RO: Given that most of us are remote, I noticed it has become healthier to overcommunicate from a PM standpoint. I make sure to be available via cell when needed apart from the usual Teams and Outlook exchanges. Sometimes a simple 5- to 10-minute call is also more productive and goes a long way.
DC: CFA has allowed me to place the best talent in front of our clients, not based on geography but based on skillset. In the past, we were forced to source our talent from a specific geography to interact with the client or internal stakeholders associated with a given client. For members of the team who don’t frequently get client interaction, it has led to us getting more face time with our clients via Teams meetings. This has led to building stronger bonds with our clients and each other.
TJ: I was fortunate to work on a team that was comfortable with turning their cameras on during meetings, and we even made Friday meetings FaceTime Fridays! It’s difficult to engage and foster a relationship with someone you have never met in person, especially when you don’t have the opportunity to see their face and expressions. I truly believe turning on our cameras in a remote environment helped build stronger relationships and produce higher quality work for our clients.
3. No matter what we are going through individually, we are all in this together. How has our unique working style enabled you to better connect with your colleagues?
RO: It usually takes time to warm up with new members/resources given that we’re all remote and not everyone opens their camera immediately. But I noticed 1-on-1 meetings and quick calls usually help strengthen the relationship because we also get to talk about personal things going on in each other’s lives—not just the weather, haha!
DC: Although I prefer to be in the office, I’m happy that I don’t have to police my team’s office attendance. This takes an immense burden off my shoulders, as it is a very difficult task to “force” people to come in.
TJ: I love that RFH encourages people to come into the office for Town Hall meetings and monthly office occasions. Because we ALL have that time set aside on our calendars, it allows us to watch it together as a group, and we get to casually interact and meet new people at the agency on these days! I appreciate the organic meet-and-greet opportunities like that.
4. Caring deeply and being passionate about the work we do doesn’t mean that we should lose sight of the things that make us who we are. How has our unique working style enabled you to pursue passions outside the office?
RO: I noticed that I get to pursue my passions outside the office more now by PMing not only my work but also my personal life. If I see I have days off booked in advance or a Summer Friday coming up, I make sure to allocate that time to my hobbies. On weekdays, I have an extra hour in the morning to exercise before my Central Time team starts the day.
DC: The new style of work has allowed me to redirect focus in my life on the things that keep me happy, so that I can channel that happiness and passion back into my work. For me that’s spending time with my kids, planning social events with friends, and getting out to art shows around the city.
TJ: I am a die-hard Peloton fan, but I also enjoy trying fitness classes around the city. I prefer working out in the morning, and not having the hassle of a commute every day allows me to commit to a 6:30 am or 7:30 am workout class. This still leaves me plenty of time afterwards to get ready for the workday.
5. What advice would you give someone who is entering a role with a flexible work arrangement for the first time? Feel free to share some of the lessons you have learned through experience.
RO: Overcommunicate. There is no dumb question—don’t hesitate to ask. Be honest. And most of all, enjoy the process!
DC: Be clear about when you are going to be available and when you are not going to be available during the week and workday. Put your camera on during calls. Find ways to connect with people outside of your typical meeting schedule on Teams.
TJ: If you have the space in your home, try to set clear boundaries between the office space and home. Physically separating the space allows me to turn off my “work brain” at the end of the evening. I have an even easier time separating myself from work on days when I get to physically leave the office! And don’t forget to take breaks throughout the day when you work at home—these are your at-home water cooler chats and coffee breaks.
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We hope you enjoyed this peek into what daily life is like at RFH. We continue to look for ways to best support our talent beyond Connect From Anywhere. Keep an eye out for our other post about our unique approach to talent retention. Please return your seats to their upright position and have a wonderful day!
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If you are interested in joining the RFH team, check out our open roles. We know you are not your resume; we understand you are not your work, and we respect that you are so much more than a job description. You are you. So come find a seat and do you with us.