Flexible remote work allowed a fresh start

In 2020, Covid-19 revolutionised many people's lives and working practices. We started working almost completely remotely and learned how to get work done even when we can't see each other. Trust has increased, as has the freedom to choose where and when to work. Flexibility and freedom of choice are certainly the biggest benefits of working remotely. 

Read how our Integration Developer Jarkko's dream was smoothly realised, as location-free work became part of our everyday lives.

As life changes, so does work

When I started at Frends as an Integration Developer, I lived a convenient six-kilometre commute away, near the "core” of Helsinki, in Munkkiniemi, with my wife and young daughter. I am a triathlete, so my commute to Otaniemi was conveniently used for training in the form of jogging. At the same time, my wife was substituting as a teacher and looking after our child at home while dreaming of her own vocation as a priest. Working at Frends has truly been the best time of my 17-year career in software development. A particular highlight has been our relaxed team, which has been a pleasure to work with. 

We have been working occasionally remote also before Covid, but Covid crisis forced us to make the shift to fully remote work. The work community has remained top-notch even when working remotely. We have developed different ways of maintaining a sense of community within the team. For example, we organize Teams coffee breaks, which are a nice breather from work and a chance to catch up with colleagues.  

For us as a family, the experience of working remotely provided a good basis for my wife to start actively looking for a job around Finland. I realized that even if my wife got a job in a different location, I would still have the opportunity to continue in the best job in the same way, remotely – as long as I had some kind of internet connection. In late 2020, my wife received an offer for a job as a priest in Kokkola, and we decided to jump at the chance. We had both dreamed of living in the countryside and found a rental house just 15 minutes from the center of Kokkola, where we’d be able to test out country living and a more relaxed lifestyle. 

The experience so far has been strongly on the positive side. The landscape outside the window of my workspace changed from a concrete jungle to a beautiful, soothing coniferous forest. And after a day at work, there's fresh, clean air for a jog on peaceful trails and space for my daughter to play without fear of running into the busy traffic. 

Best of all, we both now have the best jobs in the world, where we can do what we do best.