We caught up with Incubeta’s Senior Commercial Manager, Ed Auden to see how he managed his virtual transition into the Incubeta family during the height of lockdown, without having met a single member of his team face-to-face.

What was it like starting at a business without being able to meet your team in person? How have you found building relationships?

It was a surreal time to join Incubeta, but from day one communication across the team has been great. Slack has enabled us to maximise productivity remotely, whilst staying connected with different teams across Incubeta. There is so much technical knowledge across the business, meaning opportunities to learn are endless and our client’s really benefit from this.

How did training go? 

The online training sessions I had were great. Very client-orientated which helped lend context to our unique place in the market and how we deliver value. It was also fun getting to know other new colleagues who had started at the same time as me.

How has it been since you started?

Busy! Covid-19 has accelerated the speed of digital transformation for many, with years of progress made in only a few months. It has been a privilege to help businesses across a varying range of industries access integrated technology and deploy frameworks to drive bottom-line growth.

What are the main challenges you face on a day to day? How has the business overcome them (if we have)?

I think remote working has encouraged incredible individual focus right across the team as we strive to support clients with unique challenges. The main challenge has been time. Tools like Jamboard have been great for idea creation pre-meetings so when we do get together, sessions are more productive (and more colourful!).

Did the business do anything to surprise you?

We were all given an extra day off by the business as a thank you for the effort put in since the start of lockdown. That was brilliant.

What are the high points and the low points of working from home?

 I miss the face to face interaction with colleagues in the office. Open-plan spaces encourage collaboration of ideas. However working from home has provided more time to learn, plus spend more time with our cat!

How has the business kept you engaged?

At Incubeta, we’ve had quizzes, and multiple team building opportunities. Being in a situation where you have to answer questions about yourself gives newer colleagues the chance to better get to know the wider team. We’ve also had some really fun evening activities across the group, such as virtual pub quizzes and spirits being sent in the post for a cross-team cocktail-mixing competition!