How a Remote Team is Successfully Championing Africa’s Narratives

By Loanette Boshoff, Vice President: People and Culture at APO Group

Introduction

Every year on 25 May, Africa Day is celebrated across the continent and around the world. This day offers an opportunity to reflect on our collective identity, cultural heritage, and the resilience and progress of our continent. In this spirit of resilience and adaptation, let’s rewind to 2020, when COVID-19 struck, and countries across Africa imposed some of the strictest lockdowns in the world.

As schools and workplaces shut down, physical contact was severely restricted, and remote working became the new deal overnight. From setting up home offices, to online year-end functions, and seemingly endless Zoom and Teams calls, working from home became the norm rather than the exception. And people came to prefer this new reality – so much so that nowadays, 77% of workers report that they’re more productive working from home, than in an office.

Now that the pandemic is behind us, many of those same employers are starting to call their teams back into the office on a full-time or hybrid basis, citing lack of productivity, collaboration, and teamwork as some of the reasons. While there are obviously types of work that need people to be present, there are many other examples of people thriving in environments where they are free to manage where and how they work.

APO Group: A Remote-Working Success Story

Since its inception in 2007, APO Group has championed a remote working model. As an award-winning pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service, our teams (we call them collaborators) are located in countries across Africa and around the world. Spanning various time zones, speaking over 55 languages, and representing a broad range of diverse cultures – all working remotely.

Unlocking Greater Opportunities

Remote work does not limit opportunities for businesses or employees. With the right networks, innovative mindsets, technology, and a drive for visibility, remote companies often have more opportunities than office-based organisations. For example, our clients range from global multinationals to governments, NGOs, charitable organisations, and large sports federations based around Africa and the globe. Over the years we have consistently earned prestigious industry awards, including PRISM Awards and SABRE Awards. This year alone we have been named Best PR Agency Africa, Leading Communication Consultancy Africa, and Leading Press Release Distribution Platform Africa by Brands Review Magazine.

Our Chairman and Founder, Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard and our VP of PR and Strategic Communications, Rania El Rafie have been recognised among the most influential figures in African media and communications. Many of our people sit on judging panels, industry boards, and committees, making meaningful contributions to our profession.

Flexibility and Client Needs

Flexibility in meeting clients’ needs is key, and for a remote PR and communications team this means being there in person should a client need it, providing on-ground support at events, launches, press conferences, media training, and more. Our team ensures clients receive the best service regardless of location.

Flourishing Beyond Traditional Office Boundaries

When people join APO Group, they often comment on the unique culture of our company, despite the physical distance between teams and individuals. At APO Group, working remotely doesn’t mean feeling isolated. On the contrary, our team members form such strong relationships that collaborators who have never met in person often travel together on holidays to different countries. This unique bond is fostered through our commitment to open communication, trust, and inclusive collaboration, which are the defining characteristics of successful remote teams. Despite the physical distances, our diverse and inclusive culture creates a sense of belonging and camaraderie that makes APO Group not just a workplace, but a close-knit community.

Remote Working Contributes to Collaborator Engagement

In a recent engagement survey, our remote work model stood out as a major contributor to our high levels of collaborator engagement. Our collaborators cherish the opportunity to work and learn from colleagues of different nationalities and cultures, which enriches our work environment and strengthens our organisation. This diversity is our greatest asset and a source of immense pride.

This deep sense of connection and community brings us back to our essence and why Africa Day holds such meaning for us. We’re a truly African organisation, and this is reflected in our co-created guiding principles. Together, we agreed that our purpose is to ‘champion Africa’s narratives, amplify Africa’s voices, and bridge Africa and the world.’ This is supported by our vision ‘to pioneer the future of communication and be the channel for Africa’s voices,’ and our mission ‘to deliver state-of-the-art communications solutions for Africa and the world.’ Africa is our DNA.

It’s about who we are, not where we are

A team committed to supporting Africa’s growth and development doesn’t need to all be in the same location to achieve this. The success of APO Group’s remote work model aligns perfectly with the pan-African ethos of unity and collaboration celebrated on Africa Day.

It’s about not being fixated on where we are, but rather on who we are and what we can achieve together.