Behind the scenes: our team working from home
At the time of writing, to keep everyone safe, the majority of the Mr Jones Watches team have been working from home for a total of five weeks (Paul, Elena and Ellen are still at our workshop, but working in shifts to print, assemble and send out your watches).
We've had a little catch-up with the team and they've given us a behind the scenes look at their current workspace!
First, we spoke with our director and founder, Crispin (Mr Jones).
- What’s your favourite thing about working from home?
There are loads of things I like about working from home!
The fact that everything feels less rushed in the morning - I don’t have to get up early to make a packed lunch / take Stanley for a walk on the way in and all the rest.
It’s nice to be working with Aimée [my partner] around all the time as well, although we have separate spaces so we’re not on top of each other too much.
We can have lunch in the garden when it’s sunny.
Stanley can have his walk when it suits him (I’ve learned he doesn’t really like going for a walk very first thing, he’d much rather have a walk about midday…)
- What’s your least favourite thing about working from home?
I guess missing out on the conversation, not necessarily about work - I think the online communication can become quite transactional / to the point, it feels like there’s less time to discuss what you watched on Netflix or whatever…
Stanley very much misses seeing everyone, although possibly because he's missing out on all the treats he gets at work!
I'm Emily (the writer of this post) and also the brand and marketing manager for Mr Jones Watches.
I moved from London back to my hometown of Birmingham last year and have mostly been working from home ever since! Before the lockdown, I either worked at a local co-working space or a cafe or my spare room / home office.
- What's your favourite thing about working from home?
Usually, it's the peace and quiet and the lack of a commute (which was a real daily nightmare living in London).
At the moment though, my favourite thing is probably my garden, being able to sit in the sun on my laptop feels like a real luxury that I'm grateful for.
Also with both me and my partner at home, I feel like I have more time - we've been going for early morning walks and cooking together on an evening, things that we just didn't do before the lockdown because our lives outside of work were so busy.
- What's your least favourite thing about working from home?
When you're home alone it can definitely get a bit miserable, but right now the worst thing is just having no dogs around!
(you'll notice we're a team of dog lovers - we're sure it's the real reason Crispin employed us all).
Next up was Ellie - our general manager.
Ellie looks after our little shop in the Oxo Tower, as well as our stockists and general admin for the company. Ellie is usually based in the Oxo Tower, but has travelled back to her home town of Doncaster ahead of the UK lockdown to be with her family (and gorgeous dogs!)
What's your favourite thing about working from home?
Being around my dogs all day, and never having to make an effort to get ready
What do you like least about working from home?
Not being able to talk to my colleague's face to face and talk things through. I’m not a fan of communicating only online.
Then we spoke with Olivia, our social media and marketing assistant.
Based in Surrey, Olivia often works from home and visits our workshop to catch up with the team regularly (usually).
What's your favourite thing about working from home?
The free time to cook nice meals and of course no commuting on busy trains and 6 am starts!
What do you like least about working from home?
I miss the team and little Stanley! (the Mr Jones Watches sausage dog), and with a full house, there are a lot more distractions at home.
Stanley wanted to get involved too...
What’s your favourite thing about working from home?
Literally everything! My tail has been wagging so much it hurts!
I’m able to take things at my own pace in the mornings, just chilling and napping until I’m rudely woken up by the postman. He’s really scared of me because I bark and bark and bark and he always makes himself scarce (don’t understand why he keeps coming back, to be honest).
Then I get back to having a good, solid morning’s sleep.
Once that’s done I’m off to make my daily rounds of the neighbourhood. I have to keep a good check on which dogs have been around and also make sure none of the squirrels get too comfortable.
Then it’s back home for a biscuit and a good long nap in the sunshine.
After that, it’s time for tea and then I just chill out really after another hard day at work.
What’s your least favourite thing about working from home?
Well, I miss seeing all my colleagues at work, and especially all the treats I get at work.
I do worry about how they’re coping without me to protect them, especially because they don’t seem very good at seeing the postman off...
Natalie was next.
You'll usually find Natalie between our Oxo Tower Shop boxing up your orders and answering emails or at our workshop making watches (she does both!) Right now though, Natalie is making watches from the comfort of her home in South London.
What's your favourite thing about working from home?
My favourite thing about working from home is the ability to wake up early and be at the workbench 5 minutes after with no public transport involved.
Also picking any corner of the house where I feel comfortable doing the different tasks for the day and listening to favourite music and as loud as it feels good.
What do you like least about working from home?
My least favourite thing is probably the inability to reach out and have everything you might need and also the little jokes and other social happenings that come up in a work environment.
Cat is one of our assembly technicians - she's usually based in our workshop, but right now she's making watches from home.
What's your favourite thing about working from home?
I’m enjoying the short commute.. it takes me about 10 steps to get to my bench these days. And I’m enjoying listening to my favourite True Crime podcasts and audiobooks without judgement!
What do you like least about working from home?
I do miss being around the whole team, working on my own has got tedious quickly! And I’m especially missing Stanley, even when he barks at the doorbell. Oh and of course I miss our miso soup lunches (which is a MJW tradition..)
Esme is the newest member of our team, she's currently still studying at university and works with us one day a week to assist us with our PR and Marketing.
- What's your favourite thing about working from home?
Being able to work outside when its sunny is great!
- What do you like least about working from home?
I've always preferred being in an office and having other people around me while I'm working. I find working from home means having a lot more distractions around and it's a less motivating working environment!
