Why and How We're a Remote SaaS Aerospace Company
The research is clear. People want more flexibility when it comes to work, including in top aerospace companies. A hybrid model is a key contributor to employee satisfaction and performance.
The World Economic Forum reported that, of 12,500 employees interviewed throughout 29 countries, two-thirds responded that they wanted more flexibility in the workplace. In addition:
• 65% said they were more productive with a flexible schedule.
• The average employee wants to work 2.5 days in the office.
• 84% said working remotely would make them happier.
Epsilon3 is a SaaS tech company in the aerospace industry, which makes it a whole lot easier for us to be a 100% remote aerospace business and take advantage of all the benefits of a more flexible work environment. But many of our customers are aerospace corporations that have to manage on-site hardware as an integral part of their operations, making 100% remote work next to impossible for everyone in our industry.
Full remote might not always be possible, but we’ve seen how a hybrid model can drastically benefit aerospace teams who have started to cultivate an automation and digital-first mindset to allow for more flexibility for team members. Our customers' teams are sending hardware into space after all–could there be anything more remote than space? Innovation in robotics and automation in space are saving teams an incredible amount of time and money.
Why not start implementing the same technologies on earth to allow teams to coordinate and streamline operations in a more digital and automated space? We’ve seen how teams who adopt a hybrid model become more innovative and reduce risk and human error.
In this article, we’ll discuss:
• How to transition to a hybrid workplace in the aerospace industry
• The benefits of establishing a hybrid workplace for complex engineering teams
• The challenges of hybrid and remote work environments and how to navigate them
• Our story of becoming a remote SaaS aerospace company and our tips for best practices
HOW TO TRANSITION TO A HYBRID WORKPLACE IN THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY
Many companies scrambled to keep things working smoothly when the pandemic hit and lockdown sent us all home for an indefinite period. Things definitely didn’t work perfectly in the beginning, and many experienced stress trying to navigate all the uncertainty. However, as we all know, once many of us got the hang of doing more things remotely, we realized the benefits of the flexibility remote work provided.
And, though we hate to say it, it’s best to be prepared for more situations in the world that will require us to work remotely again. Better to be prepared. On a more optimistic note, imagine the innovation and possibilities that your team will be able to achieve when the environment shifts to a more hybrid model with flexibility. Changing environments changes perspectives. Your most innovative solutions are yet to come with a hybrid aerospace workplace.
Here are a few tips to help you and your team transition to a more flexible environment:
Create Rotation Schedules
Most people want to be in the office 2.5 days per week. It’s not only a necessary reality as hardware needs building and maintenance, but employees do enjoy in-person interactions with their team members. Since we’ve learned that not everyone needs to be in the office at all times, we’ve found that teams who create rotation schedules for employees get both a sense of autonomy while still building relationships with team members.
Set Core Hours
Whether people are on-site or working remotely for the day, setting core hours helps people know when to schedule meetings virtually or in-person. Many offices set core hours as 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. to maintain a sense of flexibility and productivity.
For those who have team members spread across multiple time zones, creating recurring meetings can help everyone make plans in a consistent way. Consistency and communication are crucial to respecting people’s time to get work done or spend time with their loved ones.
Adopt Online Tools to Help Organize and Communicate Among Teams
Cultivating an automation and digital-first mindset isn’t only fundamental for a hybrid workplace, but it’s also absolutely necessary for an innovative aerospace workplace. Diane Diehl, the Senior Director of Scientific Operations at Waters Corp., makes the case for automation and a more digital landscape:
“The industry needs solutions that address overall equipment performance. This is an especially daunting task considering lab professionals prefer to physically see the equipment. Realistically though, with sensors and cameras, there is no reason these items can’t be remotely viewed and monitored to better predict when a system needs maintenance or attention.”
“Alongside virtual reality capabilities, lab professionals will need to increasingly adopt robotics and software as a service technology to accommodate the hybrid working model. Technology is only half the battle, though, as working together as a scientific community is the backbone of our success.”
Utilize Webcams and GoPros
Not only can you use webcams and GoPros to help those on-site visually communicate with remote team members, but these tools can also be especially useful when training new employees who might be remote as well. With every recording of equipment and procedures, you can add the video to a library of onboarding material.
Set Clear Expectations and Objectives
Adopting and embracing a hybrid aerospace workplace will also improve communications on your team. When teams have to communicate more and with clarity, it creates a workplace with greater safety and less risk.
At Epsilon3 we try to let our team members know if a meeting is an “at desk” meeting or a “working and walking” meeting. This way, our team members know what attention span and contribution level is expected of them when the meeting starts.
It’s also important to clearly communicate what professional behaviors are expected. Do you require everyone to be on camera during meetings? What is the speaking etiquette you’d like to establish? Do people simply unmute and ask a question, or do you want people to submit questions in the chat or even before the meeting starts? Do you expect people to show up a few minutes early? Does the meeting organizer send out an agenda before the meeting begins, and are team members expected to contribute to the agenda?
Is it okay for team members to take calls poolside or with dogs or kids in the background? Do you want to establish a dress code?
What about response times to emails? You’ll need to establish boundaries to both make sure people can get their tasks done unobstructed while also respecting people’s evenings, weekends, and holidays.
THE BENEFITS OF ESTABLISHING A HYBRID WORKPLACE FOR COMPLEX ENGINEERING TEAMS
More and more throughout the pandemic, people realized how nice it was to reclaim some of their autonomy and create flexible schedules in order to spend more time with their loved ones. And at the end of the day, that’s why we do what we do. We care about the people we love and making their lives better for all of them. Creating a hybrid workplace puts humans back at the center of your mission and business goals--including your employees, the customer, and loved ones.
In the next few years, we’ll have more insight into the benefits that came from changing the way we work, but for now, here are a few of our favorite benefits of transitioning to a hybrid workplace:
INCREASED RETENTION AND PR
When employees are given more flexibility and trust, they’re simply happier. And when employees are happy and have a sense of ownership over their lives, they’ll stick around a lot longer and get stuff done. Losing employees is expensive and time-consuming. There are more and more companies becoming remote or hybrid, and, to stay competitive, aerospace companies have got to adapt and innovate in this way.
MORE INCLUSIVE OF INTERNATIONAL TEAM MEMBERS
Many aerospace team members are spread out all across the globe. With a hybrid model, companies need to invest in technology for the entire team to help them work with more flexibility. This will greatly improve the experience for international team members as well. The quality of communications will increase, and there will be greater empathy for their needs and experience. When considering international hiring, just be sure your team can meet any relevant export controls regulations that may apply.
DECREASES MICROMANAGEMENT
According to an article in Agile Workplace Staffing, “when engineers are given free rein, trust that innovation and creativity will freely flow.” That’s how creativity works–it can’t be forced, but is a natural, free-flowing experience that happens when people feel they are free to innovate in an environment and on a schedule that’s most supportive for them.
Not only are employees more creative, but managers don’t have to spend as much time managing–freeing them up to improve operations, procedures, and maintain a happy team that’s productive and devoted.
BETTER WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Not only does a hybrid model eliminate daily lengthy commutes, allowing people more time at home before they hop on their laptops, a hybrid workplace provides flexibility for teams to maintain employees who otherwise bear the burden of caregiving for children and elders–usually women. Employees have access to meetings anytime, anywhere they can get an internet connection.
It allows for the full gender spectrum to spend more time with their families, creating not only a happier home life, but a happier workplace. Life simply seems to get faster and faster with more demands placed on families, and allowing some flexibility keeps people and communities, including your own online community, functioning in healthy ways.
5. IMPROVES TIMELINES
Back to the benefit of eliminating the commute, people can show up to meetings on time easier when they don’t have to face busy and inconsistent traffic or end up in a longer-than-usual line at the coffee shop on their way into the office. For meetings throughout the day, people can pop in on their phones while they’re waiting at their kid’s soccer practice or call into a meeting from their phone if stuck in traffic.
It’s easier to be on time and deliver on time from anywhere when geographic location is a minor component of meetings. Overall, it's easier for your team to work closely together, no matter how busy life can get.
6. COST SAVINGS
Obviously, if your business can go 100% remote, there’s a huge cost-savings benefit without the overhead of a building. But even with a hybrid model, you can save a lot by downsizing your office space as most people are equipped with all they need in a laptop bag.
Cloud-based operations eliminate the need for physical storage units and free up a lot of space.
7. INCENTIVE TO IMPROVE WORKPLACE TECHNOLOGY
Transitioning your aerospace company to a hybrid model will incentivize leadership to invest in workplace technology that will help your company move faster toward the future of research, operations, procedures, and testing. Team members will train with new tools and software, giving them valuable skills to innovate and reduce risk, which ultimately leads to new business opportunities.
THE CHALLENGES OF HYBRID AND REMOTE WORK ENVIRONMENTS AND HOW TO NAVIGATE THEM
Distractions At Home
Distractions definitely happen at home–especially for those who have to home-school their kids from time to time. It’s really difficult to get some peace and quiet and long stretches of work done for those with children at home. And a break to throw in a load of laundry in the wash can easily turn into an hour-long cleaning session when you notice the cobwebs in the corner of your wash room.
Some days are better than others. Just like it was at the office. Some days we just can’t sit still, and we avoid those tedious or overwhelming tasks with other less important tasks. Just like at the office, it’s helpful to close the door if you’re able to and give yourself a goal to sit at your desk for 30 minutes, an hour, or whatever you can get through to reward yourself with another cup of tea or a brief conversation with a household member to give you a break from sitting all day long.
Isolation
For those who live alone, working from home can feel isolating–even for introverts. We’re meant to have some human connection, and it can be days for many people before they even open their mouth to talk or see another human. Introverts are especially susceptible–they assume they know “how to be alone,” but some human interaction is necessary.
Encourage team members to get out of their houses frequently–whether they’re working at a coffee shop or taking a 20 minute walk at a local park. They don’t have to talk with anyone, but just being around other humans is grounding and keeps loneliness at bay.
Loss of Work-Life Balance
For the workaholics, it might be difficult to walk away from work in the evenings when your work is literally at home. It’s easier to turn our brains to something other than work when we’re not around it. But when we’re working from home, that laptop is always there.
Insomniacs beware. It’s also easy to get fed up with trying to fall asleep and just “make use” of your midnight tossing and turning by getting a few things done for work. And so the sleepless cycle continues.
Make a habit of not only closing your laptop, but, if you’re able, also closing the door to your workplace room. Totally walk away. Enjoy dinner with loved ones or enjoy some quiet time alone.
Communicate with your team members how you’re taking care of yourself and when you are/are not taking meetings or responding to emails.
Increased Need for Meetings
In larger companies, managers can’t just walk the halls to see what employees need. Managers have to be more deliberate about scheduling regular virtual meetings with employees to make sure nothing is holding them back from accomplishing their goals.
Make sure to set in and out of office times on your calendar. Tell your team about them, especially if they revolve around family. Since we're not physically AT work, it's really important for people to have access to your calendar to know when you are or are not working so they can respect your personal time and space.
Cybersecurity Concerns
When employees are working offsite, there are plenty of potential security issues when factoring in antivirus software, firewalls and VPN configurations for employees’ home internet connections in order to keep your data safe.
This is an incentive to update your cybersecurity technology and create a safer digital environment for all of your data and communications. It will take some time and investment but will keep your aerospace team ahead of the curve and competitive.
Unstable/Inconsistent Internet Access
No one’s internet connection is consistently stable, and slow speeds and buffering can be frustrating. Do your best to help employees get access to the highest speed possible, and keep your patience close by. More and more people are understanding of breaks in connection, asking people to repeat themselves, etc. Do your best to help team members set up an internet connection that keeps things running as smoothly as possible.
For important calls and video meetings, get a hard-line connection. And for a more professional experience, invest in a speaker and a webcam. It will bring you peace of mind to know that calls and meetings will have less of a chance of being interrupted with connection issues.
Inconvenient for New Hires
New jobs are already stressful for new hires, but now they have to also learn how to navigate new technology while getting to know many of the team members virtually. Going the extra mile to help new hires get to know the team virtually as well as when they are on-site will help new hires have a more positive onboarding experience.
HOW EPSILON3 THRIVES AS A REMOTE SaaS AEROSPACE COMPANY AND TIPS FOR BEST PRACTICES
We started as a company at the height of a pandemic, so going remote was really our only option, and it’s turned out to be one of the best things for our team to continue a remote work environment. Here are some of the ways we embrace our remote aerospace SaaS team that is located throughout the U.S. in order to improve our services day after day:
Quarterly In-Person Meet-Ups
Because we don’t have the expense of office space, we’re not only able to hire the best people for our team no matter where they’re located, but we have it in our budget to bring everyone together in one location quarterly. While together, we make sure to:
Celebrate wins
Talk about things that are troubling us
Problem solve as a team in-person
Most of our team members have diverse backgrounds from many industries, and we believe they all have valuable ideas to contribute to solutions for technical problems to help us build and move forward as a team.
Morning Stand-Ups
Each morning the whole team meets virtually to discuss business related to that day and to make sure nobody is blocked from accomplishing their goals for the day.
Weekly Engineering Team Work Session
Every week, the engineering team has a virtual working session together. Sometimes they're quietly working away, and other times they’re brainstorming and answering questions for each other. It’s a good way for the team to get the support they need to collaborate and share relevant experience as problems arise.
Weekly Retro Meeting
On Fridays, the entire Epsilon3 team meets for a retrospective meeting where everyone shares one “high” and one “low” for the week (it doesn’t have to be work related). Someone might share that they hurt their knee and they’re bummed they couldn’t exercise this week, or someone else might share that they have a new baby niece to celebrate.
We also discuss team wins and team losses. We talk about why we lost or gained a customer and how we can improve next time.
And, more than anything, we take time to give kudos to team members who supported each other, solved a big problem, and we take the time to say thank you!
At the end of the meeting, it becomes an open session where any team member can share anything else they want to bring up concerning customers or the product. Sometimes there are long, in-depth conversations, and other times there isn’t much to share.
Overall, we see major benefits to transitioning to a hybrid work environment for complex operations teams. Learning to use the latest technology to communicate, build, and manage operations and procedures will only make our industry more innovative and reduce risk.
If you have any questions about how we manage specific areas of our company remotely, we’re happy to answer your questions. Feel free to contact us anytime.
