The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a profound impact on the way we live and work. Like many companies around the world, PRISMA was forced to adapt quickly—shifting from an office-based organization to a fully remote one within a matter of weeks. In this post, I share how we embraced this challenge and what we’ve learned along the way.
No business, no matter its size or industry, could have been fully prepared for the pace and magnitude of change brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. For us at PRISMA, the adjustment was sudden—but thanks to our strong foundation, the transition was smoother than expected.
Despite the dramatic shift in how we work, our platform remained fully operational, and our team continued working with minimal disruption. For most of us, the only real change was the scenery.
Many of PRISMA’s long-standing practices and values—like empowering people to work independently—proved incredibly effective during this time. In fact, the situation served as a live test of how well those principles could hold up under pressure.
Most of our team was already familiar with remote work, so the switch felt more like an expansion of an existing setup rather than a complete overhaul. As it became clear that this new way of working might last for the foreseeable future, we encouraged everyone to take whatever equipment they needed from the office—monitors, headsets, keyboards, chargers, and more—to help recreate a comfortable workspace at home.
From day one, every employee was also equipped with a secure VPN connection to ensure seamless access to all essential tools and systems.
For our users, the platform has continued to run smoothly. Customer satisfaction remained steady, which speaks volumes about the professionalism and adaptability of our team.
Internally, though, there were clear shifts in how we worked and communicated. It’s still too early to measure the long-term impact on productivity and morale, but some early trends began to emerge.
Without the ability to casually stop by a colleague’s desk, written communication—alongside video calls—became the norm. This change meant we had to be much more intentional about how we write. Clarity, tone, and context suddenly mattered more than ever.
For some, this came naturally. Others had to adjust their more neutral or casual writing styles to avoid misunderstandings. We even encouraged the use of emojis and GIFs to help replace the missing nuance of face-to-face conversations.
Transparency also became more important. With team members no longer sitting side-by-side, we introduced more frequent updates to keep everyone aligned and informed. In many ways, this shift created a more connected and collaborative environment than before.
One of the more unusual effects of the pandemic was the complete merging of home and work life. With schools closed across Germany and families confined to the same space 24/7, many parents had to juggle childcare, homeschooling, housework, and their jobs—all at once.
At PRISMA, we recognized early on that flexibility was crucial. We’ve done our best to support colleagues navigating these challenges, encouraging them to build their work schedules around their family responsibilities.
Social connection has always been part of PRISMA’s DNA. So when we moved to remote work, we made a conscious effort to maintain that sense of community.
We introduced daily virtual lunches and weekly after-work hangouts where people could unwind, share a meal, or simply chat in a relaxed setting. These informal gatherings helped keep our team spirit alive, even from afar.
We also got creative with how we interact. A “chat lottery” gave people the chance to connect randomly with colleagues they might not usually speak to—replicating those spontaneous kitchen conversations we all miss.
Other activities included virtual bootcamps, a weekly photo challenge, bingo nights, and even a company-wide quiz. These small touches helped us stay positive and connected during a difficult time.
We’ve been especially mindful of mental well-being. The stress and isolation brought on by the pandemic can take a toll, so we encouraged everyone to listen to their emotions, take breaks when needed, and explore activities like meditation and yoga.
We also made it clear that anyone needing emotional support should feel safe reaching out—confidentiality guaranteed.
While many companies paused recruitment, we chose to move forward—replacing in-person interviews with phone and video calls. This was partly out of necessity, as we had new team members already lined up before the pandemic hit.
Remote onboarding has been a success so far, and we can’t wait to meet our newest colleagues in person when the time comes.
The first few days were challenging. It was hard to know exactly what people would need in terms of support. I started reaching out to different colleagues each day, just to check in. That helped me stay grounded and ensured nothing fell through the cracks. Our team leads have also done an amazing job keeping things running smoothly.
So what does the future look like? For me, this experience has been a powerful proof of concept. We’ve seen that remote work is not only possible, but in many ways, effective. We’ll continue learning how it affects our performance, satisfaction, and collaboration—and use those insights to shape our future work culture.
That said, I know we’ll all be thrilled to be together again. I can already imagine the hugs, the laughter, and the joy of reconnecting in person. In a strange way, I feel even more connected to my colleagues now than ever before. Sometimes it takes a crisis to remind us just how strong our bonds really are—and that gives me so much hope for what’s ahead.