REMOTE WORKING – HOW I DO IT

Her back pain has improved, her productivity has increased, and she gets to swim in the sea more – no wonder Sarah Horgan is an advocate of remote working. The corporate communications manager joined Vodafone a year ago, where all employees can work remotely as much or as little as they want. Sarah works remotely about half the time, which gives her a lot of freedom in her personal and professional life. Originally from Cork City, Sarah often leaves her home in Dublin on Thursday evening, escaping nightmare Friday traffic, and works from a co-working hub or office in Cork on Fridays. She also loves being able to work from home when she is on a roll with something, instead of having to traipse into the office for show. “You get to enjoy a certain level of freedom because you are trusted and measured on outputs, rather than presenteeism, and that empowers you to perform.” It has helped her productivity, as she says she gets far more done when she can work in peace and quiet. Plus, the ability to be able to go for walks when remote working has helped her to manage her back pain, which she previously found very difficult to deal with. Sarah’s next mission for remote working is to return to the Ludgate digital hub in Skibbereen, Co Cork, where she spent a week recently. “It was amazing – the new surroundings gave me a fresh perspective. I was in a work environment, so was very focused, and I got to meet new people with exciting businesses, so it is great for making new contacts. I am going to do another week there soon – I can’t wait for another swim in Lough Hyne.”