I’m Ben and I’ve been a key member of the Zego Finance team since I joined the company back in 2018, as a Systems Accountant.
While living in the UK, I was a regular at our London office but, having recently moved to the Netherlands, I’m now making new connections at our Amsterdam office.
What do you enjoy the most about Zego Hybrid?
The hybrid approach gives me the flexibility to manage my work-life balance the way I want to.
When I work from home, I can effectively focus on single-minded tasks without distractions. I also find it easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle, as I can easily get to the gym or go for a run as soon as I finish work.
On the other hand, having access to the Amsterdam office means that I can easily collaborate and build relationships with my Dutch colleagues.
How often do you visit the Amsterdam office?
Usually once a week.
What do you like about visiting the office on a regular basis?
Visiting the office regularly has allowed me to build trust with my new teammates. This has helped to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the work we do together.
How do you keep a balance between remote work and visiting the office to maintain a strong sense of connection and belonging in a hybrid environment?
Zoom calls help maintain human connection while working remotely, but they’ll never fully replace in-person contact.
Visiting the office at a regular frequency and having events that drive face-to-face interaction (like beer and pizza nights!) helps to build relationships. This adds to a sense of belonging in the workplace, as you end up having discussions and coming up with ideas that you might never have done otherwise.
Why is connection and belonging important to you?
A big part of being human is having a purpose. We spend one-third of our lives at work, so it’s critical that our jobs add to this purpose, and don’t detract from it.
Having a work environment that fosters relationship building, collaboration and problem solving helps to drive human happiness in the right direction.
What’s the coolest, non-work-related moment you’ve had with a colleague at the office?
Back when the Zego office was in the T-Building in London, we used to have beers every Friday and play Mario Kart on the company Nintendo Switch! Those evenings were filled with a lot of competition, storytelling, laughter and fun. The relationships I built with my colleagues on those nights still last to this day.