Zoom, cute kids and pets make an impact on remote working, Miami-area CEOs say

By Herald Staff

September 11, 2020 5:42 AM

CEOs were asked: Has your company allowed remote working, and if so, how has it affected camaraderie and sense of teamwork?

We have embraced remote working and continue to work as a team through virtual meetings. The new work context has actually allowed for more personal connections and a deeper sense of individual bonds. Because the majority of us are working from home, the virtual connections give us a true window into each other’s personal lives more than before. We now know each other’s families (especially cute kids who love to pop into a room during a Zoom meeting) and each other’s pets. Sometimes we jump on a call after a long bike ride or after playing an instrument, so we get to share more about the things that fill our days outside of work.

Michelle Abbs, Miami director, Mana Tech

Our team continues to work remotely and have adapted quite nicely. Of course, we all miss the personal interaction of being together in the office, but thanks to Zoom, we all are consistently communicating as we coordinate the upcoming launch of our seasonal apparel and merchandise with our partners. We have tremendous plans and partnerships that we are also cultivating that will have a significant impact and that we are extremely excited about. We are preparing to move forward with our plans when the time comes.

Guy Harvey, founder, Guy Harvey Enterprises

Our IT staff has been remote for more than 10 years — and we have allowed individual employees to be able to work remotely depending on their circumstances. Our in-house attorney and our HR director, along with our recruiting director, have been remote for years. We are fortunate to have the infrastructure in place and experience with remote working during these times.

Mike Pappas, president, CEO, The Keyes Company/Illustrated Properties

We have allowed remote working for all our employees. We have also staggered the work day at the office to assure our office space remains safe and healthy for all our workers while still allowing for some limited contact between team members. I firmly believe that, as social beings, we need to connect with others. The work place is not only a space where we connect, but also a place where we create and share ideas to achieve the company’s goals. We have tried to continue our team approach even in the world of social distancing by having regular Zoom meetings individually and as a company. We have hosted weekly “Monday virtual morning coffee” meetings or “Friday virtual Happy Hour” to bring our team together. We are mindful to keep each of our team members updated via email and text and encourage our team to reach out and talk with each other. Months into the pandemic, we continue to look for interesting ways to keep our team connected, productive and reduce the stress of the current situation we are in.

Coralee Penabad, principal, Urban-X

PFCU pivoted to a remote work environment soon after the initial reports of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a financial services organization providing essential service, it is required to have such capability, and particularly prudent here in hurricane-threatened South Florida. The remote work has impacted the PFCU team in terms of sincerely missing the daily interaction with peers, as we are a family-like work environment. That said, I think in this short term, it has a negligible impact in terms or productivity, efficiency, and teamwork. The remote infrastructure we had in place has permitted our high performing teams to continue to do so. In addition, many of these remote communication channels have helped build camaraderie. There is bonding in addressing a shared challenge, and celebrating success as a remote team when solutions are accomplished.

Allan Prindle, president, CEO, Power Financial Credit Union

Frost Science has allowed remote working for those whose job functions allow it. This has significantly reduced the density of the office and allowed for those at the office to spread out and maintain safe, appropriate distances. It’s certainly a challenge to maintain good communication and it seems that some of the spontaneous ideas have diminished; however, team projects are still getting completed and we are using technology more effectively than before COVID-19. The team has done a good job getting used to regular Zoom meetings, working on shared collaborative digital documents and communicating frequently on messaging channels like Slack.

Frank Steslow, president, CEO, Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science

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THE MIAMI HERALD CEO ROUNDTABLE IS A WEEKLY FEATURE THAT APPEARS IN BUSINESS MONDAY OF THE MIAMI HERALD. RECENT QUESTIONS TO THE ROUNDTABLE HAVE INCLUDED:

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