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October 3, 2022

The Busy Mom’s Guide to Creating a Work-From-Home Schedule

When you work from home as a stay at home mom, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you have all the time in the world to get everything done, when in reality time seems to slip away from you and then you’re behind on everything and don’t know how to catch up. In order to create structure and balance in your life, create a schedule that will allow you the freedom to work from home while still getting everything done around the house and providing enough time with your family.

Set Up A Routine

Creating a routine can be difficult when you work from home. The best way to get it started is by simply waking up and deciding what your goal for the day will be. Maybe your goal is cleaning the house, or editing photos, or even sending out emails. Set time goals, be specific with yourself and keep reminding yourself of those goals so you don’t back down midway through your day. And always remember: It doesn’t matter how many times you fail; it only matters how many times you get back up!

For some it helps to create a to-do list so you can create a new schedule each day. For others, they stick to a strict time limit, setting a certain amount of hours per day to work before clocking off or switching tasks. No matter which way you prefer, make sure you have something in place, because if you try to wing it, more often than not you will find yourself falling behind and getting distracted.

Adjust Your Routine Based On Your Kids’ Needs

Staying home with your kids can be challenging when it comes to keeping your schedule intact. But by adjusting what time you work and what responsibilities you have during the day, you’ll find the perfect balance that works for both yourself and your family. Here are some tips on how stay at home moms can manage their time: 

  • Figure out when you’re most productive, and schedule your work for that time. If you’re a morning person, get up early before the kiddos and get work done. If you’re an afternoon person, schedule time to work while the kids are down for a nap.
  • Organize set days (such as one weekday, one weekend day) where you work from home. For instance, if you choose Monday as your workday, then don’t have any other commitments or appointments on Mondays so that you can focus solely on getting things done. The same goes for weekends; if Saturday is your day to work from home, make sure there aren’t any activities planned for Saturdays so that you won’t feel guilty about spending all of your time working.
  • Start simple — figure out the three tasks in each category of responsibility so that everything gets completed but not overly stressed about finishing everything.

Develop an Exercise Routine Too

Plus, you’ll need to make time for yourself as a mom. Exercise can help relieve stress and be relaxing, so take the time to do it every day. You should aim for 20 minutes at least 3 days a week. Not only will you start feeling better and look better, but it will also help you keep the house cleaner too! Set aside a 20-30 minute chunk of time in your schedule each day to work out–a very productive way to spend that time when you are working from home.

Keep A Daily Journal Of Everything You Do

It is important to keep track of what you are doing so that you can set goals and also look back on your days. Even though it can seem like one day blends into the next, you will be surprised at how much you get done if you stop for just a minute each day and write down what you did. When the week is over, your journal will help remind you how productive your week really was! It will also help you prioritize what you need to do in the coming days.

What are some tips you have for creating a schedule and sticking to it as a work from home mom? Reach out and let us know!

 

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September 26, 2022

How to Create a Winning Job Post

Any successful hiring manager will tell you that having a great job description (or job post) is vital to hiring great candidates. Without it, you may not attract any candidates or you may attract the wrong ones — and that’s not a good use of your time or money. We want to share with you how to create a job post that will attract the right candidates and increase your chances of finding the rockstar team member you need for your business.

Examples of What Not to Do

The number one thing we see is that some employers do not include enough information on their job posts. With the first example below, you will notice that minimal information was provided about the company and the position itself. We recommend including information such as the duties of the job, specific experience needed, any special skills you are seeking, the number of hours per week or month you are seeking as well as any other pertinent qualities, qualifications or skills needed. It can also be helpful to include a bit about the company and the culture that gives the candidates an idea of what it’s like working for your company. This helps ensure they feel like they would be a good fit for what you are looking for.

Our next example is getting more on the right track, but we recommend adding more details without writing a book. This post does a much better job explaining the position and offering some information about the company. However, the time commitment is still missing as is more specific information about what is needed for the job itself.

Examples of What to Do

We’ve compiled two of some of the top performing job posts on the site to share with you below. You will notice that the first post has quite a bit more information than our previous examples. It goes into detail about the company, what the position is about, what is needed for the position, and the commitment requirements.

You may not have this many requirements or qualifications needed and that is 100% ok. Your job does not have to be long to be thorough. In fact, super long job posts don’t perform well because it overwhelms the candidates so it’s important to state what you are looking for, the important points but not go overboard and write so much that you scare off potential candidates. This example below is one of our longer job descriptions but we are suggesting that you should have one this long. 

Our next example is very similar with lots of great details. As a bonus, this post states up front what the salary range is which can help find better job candidates that know what to expect from the beginning with regards to compensation.  Again, your job description does not have to be this long. We just wanted to give you some ideas of things you can include to help your job post perform better!

 

In need of more inspiration or ideas to kickstart your job description? 

We’ve put together a FREE Job Post template for our audience to help make this process easier!  CLICK HERE to download it.

Do you tips that have worked well for you in hiring or writing job descriptions? Share with us your tips to help other employers create the best job post possible.

 

 

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September 19, 2022

How to Make Money as a Stay at Home Mom with No Child Care

Many moms enjoy spending time with their children and don’t want to miss out on those precious moments by working outside the home. That’s why it’s so important to find ways to make money as a stay at home mom. There are lots of options out there that can work with your schedule — the number one type of job being a virtual assistant. But, there are tons of options beyond that! Maybe you only have a couple hours a day to yourself that you can work — there are things you can do from bookkeeping to social media management. Don’t be scared when you hear the word ‘job’ because that does not mean full time (or even part time) chained to a desk with specific hours; jobs can be just a couple of hours, flexible, and virtual so you can do them from anywhere! Here are some ways to make money as a stay at home mom with no child care:

Find A Work From Home Job

There are plenty of work from home jobs that don’t require any child care. One option is to become a virtual assistant. Virtual assistants provide administrative, secretarial, and clerical support to clients from home. To be a successful virtual assistant, you’ll need excellent communication and organizational skills, as well as the ability to work independently. However, we also see moms doing things such as remote website management, HR tasks, and more. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s something you’re passionate about and that you have the drive and determination to make it work. And of course, we have to do a shameless plug for our platform! Use HireMyMom to find a work from home job that works with your schedule! (And if you are unsure of your skills or think you need a bit of help to get started, make sure you check out our training course, Cultivate, which was designed to help moms fast track their work from home career.) 

Work As A Freelancer

There are a number of ways to make money as a stay at home mom, even if you don’t have child care. One option is to work as a freelancer. You can find small jobs online in a variety of industries, from writing and editing to customer service and social media. While you may not make a lot of money per job, the cumulative effect can add up over time. Plus, working from home gives you the flexibility to set your own hours and take care of your family as well. While we see virtual assistants as the most popular jobs with moms, we also see lots of moms become freelancers so they have a little more control over their schedule and what projects they take on; freelancers generally do not get company benefits, but a part time or full time employee normally does not get to pick projects or their schedules so there is a bit of a trade off here that should be considered.

Create A Routine

One of the biggest things that will help you work from home as a mom is to create a routine for yourself and your kiddos. Put your kids down for a nap at the same time each day, and use that time to get some work done. Is your kid an early riser? Plan to work after they go to sleep. Is your child a night owl? Get up early and work then. Figure out what works best for your lifestyle, and stick to that so that you are able to work in between spending those precious moments with your babies.

Ask For Help

Starting a business or finding work can be tough, especially when you’re a stay at home mom with no child care. But there are ways to make it work. First, ask your friends and family if they can watch your kids for an hour or two while you work. If that’s not possible, try to find another stay at home mom who can trade off watching each other’s kids. You can also look into hiring a part-time nanny or babysitter to help out. Some companies even offer childcare stipends to help. When you are going through the job hunt process, let potential employers know what your schedule is, how often you can work, and ask how they can help you create a work environment at home.

Finally, there are some ways you can save money too that can help! Check those out here.

What suggestions do you have for moms looking to earn money while staying at home with their kids? Let us know!

 

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September 12, 2022

5 Tips for Handling Flex Scheduling as a Remote Boss

Being the boss of your own small business can offer many benefits such as flexible hours, more control over your workday, and more money in your pocket. However, it can also be challenging to maintain this level of autonomy when you’re working from home or are otherwise unable to interact with coworkers on a daily basis. Flex scheduling gives employees the freedom to set their own schedules and work at their own pace, but as an employer you need to make sure that you’re still able to keep track of what each person is doing at all times.

1) Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

If you’re a remote boss, it’s important to communicate regularly with your team members. This way, you can stay up-to-date on what’s going on and ensure that everyone is on the same page. The worst thing you can do is drop off the face of the earth without any notice. One good idea is to set aside one day each week where you’ll touch base with each person individually. If anything needs attention, this will be an ideal time to tackle these issues before they become bigger problems!

2) Have Time Blocks with Deadlines

One way to approach this is to have time blocks with deadlines. This means that each day, you and your team will have specific times when you are expected to be working on specific tasks. Having this structure will help to keep everyone on track and ensure that deadlines are met. Of course, there will always be some flexibility with this, but it is important to have some sort of system in place.

3) Check in Every Day

  1. Schedule regular check-ins with your team.
  2. Let your team know what your availability is like in advance.
  3. Encourage your team to communicate their availability to you as well.
  4. Respect each other’s time and schedules.
  5. Try to be flexible when possible.
  6. Be understanding when things come up.
  7. Have a plan B in case things don’t go as planned.

4) Use Project Management Software

If you manage a remote team, you know that one of the challenges can be coordinating everyone’s schedules. This is where project management software can come in handy. By using a tool like Asana or Trello, you can create flexible schedules for your team and ensure that everyone is on the same page.

5) Review Tasks At The End Of Each Week

As a remote boss, one of the best ways to stay on top of your team’s progress is to review tasks at the end of each week. This helps you identify any areas where employees may be slacking off, and also allows you to give credit where it’s due. Plus, it’s a great way to keep communication open between you and your team.

What tips do you have for managing your remote team? Reach out and let us know!

 

 

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September 5, 2022

Tips for Creating An Attention-Getting Job Seeker Profile to Help You Get Hired!

One of the most popular questions we get asked is: How do I create a great online profile / resume that stands out to employers? So, we’ve put together some examples of what to do (and what not to do). This is a great guide for those just getting started, but it’s also a great reference for those who have their résumés posted that are not hearing back from employers.

It’s important to note that employers cannot see your online profile / resume unless, (1) you’ve applied for their specific job or (2) you are a Platinum member which comes with a rotating profile on the home page. 

Ok, so let’s start simple…

What Not To Do

Your profile is how employers learn more about you. They like to see a headshot so they can put a face to a name with your information. Most importantly, they like profiles that are detailed with LOTS of information.

The profile below is an example of what not to do. There is no picture, and there is no information. Employers use your profile first, and then they turn to your résumé. It’s also a good idea to update your profile on a regular basis. That way, employers know you’re serious about looking for work. Set a reminder to review and update your profile periodically such as quarterly or every six months.

Make sure to complete your profile! It’s totally okay to set up a test profile like the one below to see how things will look, but don’t forget to go back in and fix it later. This profile has a photo (that we’ve hidden), which is great, but nothing at all for employers to reference!

This next profile is another step in the right direction, but it needs more information. The profile has a photo, which is great, and a description, which is also great. But, this doesn’t speak to specific experience for an employer to reference.

What To Do

You’re probably noticing a trend at this point: provide a photo, write a description, and provide specific employment information. We reached out to some of our past top performing profiles for permission to share. Check them out below!

Hannah checked all three boxes: she has a photo that clearly shows her face, she has a description, and she has detailed information about her work history. Plus, she made it even easier for employers to check out companies she has worked with by providing their URLs

Hannah shares: 

“I got my job with very quickly (within a week) after applying through HireMyMom! I believe the key was really that online resume and me emailing the company to stand out. I also mentioned their website and how much I loved what their business was about in that initial email. I believe anything to stand out like that is good…When I am looking for jobs my go to is ALWAYS HireMyMom.com. I also tell ALL my friends about it because I believe HireMyMom makes it so easy for moms to stand out in the online/remote workforce.” 

Now, we understand that some people do not want to share their photo online, and that’s okay! We suggest providing further information to interest employers so they are blown away by your experience and skills, like Sara’s profile below; Sara also went the extra mile to provide how many years of experience she has for specific skills.

There you have it! A profile does act as a résumé, so you should fill it out accordingly, but it also gives you more space than a typical résumé so you can go into a little more detail.

If you have questions or need help with your own profile, reach out to the team at HireMyMom — we are more than happy to help! We have several opportunities to help you level up!

 

 

 

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August 29, 2022

5 Benefits of Working With a Business Coach or Mentor

If you’re an entrepreneur, then it’s more than likely that you either have tried to hire someone to mentor you or are considering doing so. The fact that you’re reading this shows that you recognize the value of having an outside perspective on your business, and that alone is a step in the right direction. However, before making any decisions about working with someone, it’s important to know exactly what you’re getting into and how to ensure it works out well for both of you. Here are five benefits of working with a business coach or mentor.

1) Get Unstuck

One of the main benefits of working with a business coach or mentor is that they can help you get unstuck. If you feel like you’re in a rut and don’t know how to move forward, a coach can help provide clarity and give you direction. They can also help hold you accountable so that you stay on track and reach your goals.

2) Know Where You’re Going

A mentor can help you develop a clearer vision for your business. This is important because it will help you set goals and make better decisions along the way. For example, if you’re not sure where to focus your time and efforts, a mentor could offer great insight and suggestions. 

A study by Harvard Business Review found that managers who had mentors were more likely to report feeling fulfilled in their work than those without mentors. It’s also worth noting that when seeking out coaches or mentors, make sure they specialize in areas that are relevant to your industry. The more they know about your field, the more value they will provide as your advisor.

3) Expand Your Vision

A coach or mentor can help you see the potential in your business that you may be blind to. They can help you identify opportunities for growth and areas where you need to make changes. You will have someone who is not emotionally invested in your success to provide unbiased feedback, which is vital when it comes to evaluating the health of your company. An outside perspective will also show you what things are working well and what things are not worth the time, money, or effort. A coach can also offer expert advice on marketing strategies and how to use social media effectively. The right person can bring out skills that may have been hidden within you all along, which will ultimately increase profits by increasing awareness about your company’s products or services.

4) Avoid Burnout

As a business owner, it’s easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day and forget about the big picture. A business coach can help you stay focused on your goals and avoid burnout. You’ll have someone to bounce ideas off of when you’re stuck, hold you accountable for deadlines, and create a healthy work/life balance for you. The two-way conversation will keep things fresh!

5) Learn New Skills

A business coach or mentor can help you learn new skills and knowledge that you can use to grow your business. They can also help you identify areas where you need to improve and provide guidance on how to do so. If there are aspects of your business that aren’t working, such as systems or marketing, then a coach can give you an outside perspective on what is going wrong and how to fix it. You’ll have someone to turn to for questions or ideas when times get tough too, and they will always encourage you to set new goals.

When working with a coach, they will often ask what you want out of the relationship in order to best serve your needs, which means you won’t be afraid to ask for advice about something if it’s not clear at first glance what’s going wrong. It’s common for entrepreneurs to feel lost when faced with challenges they don’t know how to solve themselves.

Are you interested in learning more about working with a coach?  We offer one-on-one coaching exclusively for our HireMyMom community and offer a free consultation. You can learn more here! 

 

 

 

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August 22, 2022

Struggling to Find a Job? 5 Tips to Boost Your Morale

Finding a job can be incredibly difficult, especially if you’ve been searching for quite some time and haven’t had any luck yet. If you’re discouraged about your job search and need some help getting motivated, these five tips can help give you the extra boost you need to continue your search and get excited about finding your ideal career path.

1) Set Mini Goals

One way to stay motivated when job hunting is to set small goals for yourself. For example, you could resolve to check three job boards every day, or send out five resumes per week. Once you accomplish your mini goal, give yourself a pat on the back and move on to the next one. You’ll feel much better about your situation if you keep setting small goals for yourself! 

Create a schedule too. Maybe each week or every other week, sit down and set more goals. Spend time evaluating where you are, where you want to be, and what you need to do to get there! And remember, these goals should be small and easy to achieve so you know you are making progress towards your overall goal of finding a job.

Having realistic, achievable steps to reach your long-term goal can help you make progress and take action. For example, if you are looking for a job in the real estate industry, setting a mini goal of getting your real estate license can help significantly as it shows potential employers that you have taken initiative and are knowledgeable about the field. It’s also important to constantly reevaluate your mini goals to make sure they still align with your overall career objectives so you don’t get lost in pursuing something unrelated to what you really want.

2) Stay Organized

When you’re job hunting, it’s important to stay organized and keep track of your applications, contacts, and follow-ups. This will help you stay on top of the process and avoid getting overwhelmed. The more prepared you are, the better!

Keep track of jobs you’ve applied for, where you are in that process, and keep any feedback you receive in a place where you can revisit it as you continue your job search — especially if you receive feedback after an interview. Tools such as Asana are great for this.

3) Surround Yourself With Positive People

One of the best things you can do when you’re feeling down about your job search is to surround yourself with positive people. These are the people who will listen to your venting, offer words of encouragement, and help you stay motivated. So reach out to your friends and family, and let them know what’s going on. You’d be surprised how helpful they can be!

4) Remind Yourself Why You Want the Job

It can be easy to forget why you wanted the job in the first place when you’ve been looking for a while without any luck. But reminding yourself of your reasons can help you stay motivated. Maybe you want the job because it will help you gain experience in your field, or because it offers good benefits. Whatever your reasons, keep them in mind and let them inspire you to keep going. If you start getting frustrated, think about how happy you’ll feel once you land that job!

This is a great time to create a dream board and keep it where you can see it daily. Boards can have photos of your dream job, motivational quotes, etc. If you place it someplace visible, you can always glance over at it to remind yourself why you want the job.

5) Do Something Fun

When you’re feeling down about your job prospects, it can be tempting to just veg out on the couch and watch Netflix all day. But that’s not going to do anything to improve your situation. Instead, try to do something fun every day, even if it’s just for a few minutes. This will help you maintain your energy and enthusiasm levels as you continue your job search.

Most importantly of all…DON’T GIVE UP! Sometimes it takes time to find just the right job, and that’s okay! What are ways you stay motivated during your job search? Reach out and let us know!

 

 

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August 8, 2022

How to Ask for a Raise When You Feel Underpaid

Whether you’re an entry-level worker or have been with your company for years, if you feel like you’re being underpaid, asking for a raise can be one of the most stressful and intimidating conversations you have to have at work. You don’t want to appear ungrateful or greedy, but you also need to get paid what you’re worth — it’s not just about your paycheck; it’s about building a life that leaves room for financial flexibility and freedom, too.

Gather evidence that shows how you add value

If you’re going to ask for a raise, you need to be able to back up your request with evidence. Gather data that shows how much you contribute to the company and how your work has helped improve things. If you can show that you’re an invaluable asset to the team, you’ll be in a much better position to negotiate a higher salary. Put together a list of goals that you want to achieve over the next six months and then track them on a spreadsheet or app like Asana. Show this list to your boss so they can see how valuable you are!

Understand why it makes sense for them to pay more

It’s important to remember that when you’re asking for a raise, you’re not just asking for more money. You’re asking for more money because you believe you’re worth more money. And in order to convince your boss that you’re worth more money, you need to be able to articulate why: 

  1. Think about the company and how you can contribute to its success. 
  2. Look at how much time you spend on projects and how much impact it has on the company. 
  3. Identify all of the things you do as part of your job, and make sure they match what the company wants from their employees. 
  4. Be prepared with specific examples of why the company would benefit from paying you more money.

Prepare yourself mentally

Before you go into your boss’s office to ask for a raise, it’s important to prepare yourself mentally. This means getting rid of any self-doubt and having confidence in your abilities. You should also have a clear idea of what you’re asking for and why you deserve it. Remember, your boss is more likely to give you a raise if you’re able to articulate your value.

Practice your pitch before asking in person

Before you ask for a raise, it’s important that you have a clear idea of what you want to say. You should rehearse your pitch so that you can deliver it confidently and calmly. Here are a few things to keep in mind: 

Have you asked for a raise before and wished you knew something before going in? Send us your advice so we can share it!

 

 

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August 2, 2022

Employer Success Story- Marty Stevens-Heebner

What is your top advice for small business owners looking to hire remote talent?

Be patient, be respectful and ask a lot of questions. Remember that each step of the interview is part of the hiring process. How swiftly do they respond to your emails? How’s their spelling and grammar in those emails? Potential hires should be on their best behavior to get you to hire them and, if they disappoint you during the hiring process, it will only go downhill if you hire them.

What is your top tip for working with a virtual team?

Be respectful and remember to say “please,” “thank you,” and “I’m sorry,” when the latter is necessary. You set the tone. Also, you need to strike that delicate balance between keeping in touch but not micro-managing. In the beginning, there’s always a learning curve. Once your new hire shows they have a good grasp of what you want them to accomplish, trust them.

Why did you decide to use HireMyMom.com for your hiring needs?

Another business owner raved about HIreMyMom so I knew I had to try it out – and I did so, successfully.

What piece of advice do you wish someone had given you at the start of your business career?

Be patient with others – and yourself. Mistakes will happen. Correct things and keep moving forward.

What do you see as your greatest success in life?

Chronic depression runs in my family and I consider learning to manage mine as a huge success. One doesn’t conquer chronic depression. I had to dig down deep and figure out how to handle my own responses to events, and how to make sense of them. My life is full of contentment now, and the fulfillment I feel now is hard-won and transformative.

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August 1, 2022

5 Ways to Get Your Team to Engage in Group Projects When Working Remotely

Working remotely on group projects can be challenging. There are fewer opportunities to connect with the rest of your team, so it can feel like you’re going it alone — which can make it harder to stay motivated and accountable to your goals. While working remotely doesn’t have to be lonely, there are ways to get your team to engage in group projects when working remotely — like these five tips!

1) Set up a collaborative platform

Before anything else, you need to set up a platform where your team can easily collaborate on projects. This could be something as simple as setting up a Google Doc or creating a Slack channel. Once you have a platform set up, make sure everyone knows how to use it and that they have access to it. To create an even more collaborative atmosphere, break up tasks so that different people are responsible for different parts of the project. If someone has questions about their part of the project, they should speak with the person who is assigned to their task instead of contacting someone who might not be working on their task at all. You may also want to designate some time for weekly meetings so people can discuss what’s been done since the last meeting and provide feedback if necessary.

2) Ask questions

Asking questions is a great way to get your team to engage in group projects. By doing this, you can get a better understanding of what your team members are thinking and feeling, and you can also get them to share their own ideas and thoughts. Additionally, connecting with your team in this way can help build rapport and trust within your team. As a leader, following up with your team will show that you are cultivating an open, accepting work space, and you can use it to find out where you can delegate tasks to make projects run smoother.

3) Create an easy way to share ideas

Brainstorming is a key part of any project, but it can be difficult to do when team members are working remotely. One way to make it easier is to create a shared document where everyone can contribute ideas. This could be a Google Doc, an online whiteboard, or even just a shared email thread. The point is that people can work on their own and then share what they’ve come up with with the rest of the group in a place where ideas are easy to reference.

4) Encourage honest feedback

One way to get your team to engage in group projects is by encouraging honest feedback. This way, team members will feel comfortable communicating with each other and won’t be afraid to voice their opinions. Furthermore, honest feedback will help the team identify areas that need improvement. For example, if someone on the team notices a teammate struggling with deadlines or something else related to work, they can offer assistance without feeling like they’re going out of their way. 

Once people are more confident in giving criticism, it will become easier for them to open up about things that are bothering them without being worried about seeming unhelpful or negative. After all, these things should be addressed so as not to have an impact on productivity!

5) Make it personal

Get to know your team on a personal level. What are their hobbies? What do they like to do for fun? Getting to know your team will help you find ways to encourage them to interact. Here at HireMyMom we have each of our team members fill out a fun survey so we can learn more about them; we ask them about their hobbies, favorite holidays, and even favorite foods!

What are ways you keep your remote team engaged? Contact us to let us know!

 

 

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