As advances in technology continue to transform how businesses operate, more and more organisations are introducing the concept of ‘agile working’ to their staff members.

For those new to the term, agile working frees performance from the constraints of where and when it happens. That is to say, instead of enforcing a particular office and a fixed time shift, the agile working organisation empowers team members to determine when, where and how they perform best on their objectives and with their team.

This, of course, would not be possible without advances in technology, where the evolution of smart devices and applications has continued to transform how we live, work and communicate, creating an ‘always on’ environment that easily moves beyond the realms of 9-5.

Agile working is, of course, not relevant to all business models, but for whomever it is, it provides true opportunity for growth. At Payara we have experienced this first-hand and encourage other businesses to consider it.

Find the right people, no matter where they are

Since our official launch in 2017, Payara has grown an incredible 275% and boasts an impressive customer retention rate of 120%. However, this level of growth would simply not have been possible without sourcing and employing the right people.

Payara now works with 27 staff members who are based in 14 different countries across the globe. Through the power of technology, our staff are connected 24/7 to both one another and to clients. Through functions like online chat and company wikis, the company ‘virtually’ meets frequently. Through digital project management tools, project deadlines are transparent and always exceeded.

Mycah Banks, Payara’s Engagement Coordinator, says,

“At Payara, we were clear on the level of talent that we wanted to recruit from the outset, and to secure this talent we could not be limited to the UK. Today, we have team members in every hemisphere of the globe, and this makes agile working a must.”

Work on culture from day one

Mycah’s role within the company is to ensure that the business is extremely clear on ‘Payaran’ cultural values, and she works hard to communicate this to all staff members on a regular basis.

Last month we celebrated ‘Payara Week’ -- an annual event during which we fly all international staff members to the UK to meet, connect and work from our headquarters based at The Malvern Hills Science Park in Worcestershire.

Payara Week provides us with the opportunity to strengthen our community and install passion in the brand by hosting a range of social activities and discussion workshops. Mycah plans the schedule so that team members have various opportunities to discuss different ideas for how we can grow and develop the Payara brand and service offering, and finally present their solutions and resulting actions to the rest of the company.

Providing our team members with the opportunity to have ‘their say’ in how we continue to grow and develop the Payara brand, both here in the UK and globally, it has helped us to create an inclusive company culture where our team members feel valued in their roles.

Maximise the power of technology to aid growth

So many businesses are stuck in the 9-5 mentality, which means they often struggle with recruitment, both in sourcing the right staff members and thereafter in keeping them for the long-term.

At Payara we feel that our team are now looking for additional career perks, which help them feel valued and appreciated as opposed to being just another ‘cog in the wheel’. Maximising technology to help create and deliver these perks will not only improve staff retention but enhance culture too.

Simple changes such as introducing flexible working hours and maximising tech tools to aid consistent communication between all team members creates a sense of ‘freedom to manage’, increasing employee trust and engagement.

Technology has transformed our world. In adopting the same ‘agile’ approach to recruitment as you do to operations, not only will you be able to find the right talent, but you will be able to find the right people who believe in your brand and can help drive long-term growth.