In MultiLingual magazine’s January 2025 issue, we delve into the state of remote work in the language industry five years after COVID-19. To continue the conversation, we asked localization professionals from across the industry to share their work-from-home experiences. Here, Belén Agulló García, Executive Consultant at Terra Translations, discusses her motivations for switching to remote work and what she appreciates most about the arrangement.
How did you start working from home?
In 2017, I decided I wanted to move back to my hometown to be closer to my family. Back then, remote working was not a thing, and it was very difficult to access interesting opportunities. While I was doing my PhD, my good friend Gabriel Karandyšovský reached out to me to work as a writer and researcher for this new company called “Nimdzi.” That was my first remote work, and after that, the pandemic happened and the rest is history!
What were some of the biggest personal adjustments to your work style and habits after you started working from home?
I honestly enjoy working from home a lot. I love being in my own space where I can focus, not having the need to commute, and having time to exercise, cook healthy food, take care of my plants, be with my doggie, and be around my partner all the time (who also works from home). More recently, I developed a good habit of meeting industry friends online, and that has been amazing so far. Adjusting to everything you love is not very difficult!
Do you have any particularly memorable experiences or stories since starting work from home? For instance, an experience that really encapsulates your feelings about the arrangement?
I’m not sure about memorable experiences, as working from home is quite chill. However, I must say that when I got to meet colleagues with whom I’ve been working for years and never seen face-to-face before, it was such an emotional and beautiful feeling. I think that’s something that you don’t get to experience when working in an office, that feeling of happiness when you get to meet your buddies in person.
What are the biggest advantages you appreciate about working from home? Likewise, have you noticed any downsides?
Definitely the lack of commute is a very big advantage, as well as having time to lead a healthier life (the time that I used to invest in commuting when I was living in Madrid, now I use it to go to the gym). The only thing that I really miss is being able to meet with my great colleagues and industry friends in person more often. I would love to go grab a coffee every week with someone I really appreciate from my work.
Would you consider returning to the office, or is working from home now a priority for you? If you’d take an office job, what incentives would you need to go back?
I cannot go back to an office. It is definitely a priority for me. And I would not move to another city for work. Right now, I’m enjoying what I do so much working in a remote-first company like Terra. Everyone works from home, which makes online communication much more efficient and allows us to access talent around the world without forcing them to move or go to an office. I just see advantages with remote work, honestly.
