Cogito recently announced our plans for a workplace that is truly Office Optional, one where Cogicians are empowered to make choices about where they work. As a result, the workspace will no longer default to meaning a physical Cogito office.
In this edition of ‘The Anywhere Office,’ we want to introduce Kye Talor. Kye is a Principal Machine Learning Scientist and Technical Lead – he works on designing and developing machine learning systems that are used to analyze conversations, and predict different aspects of those interactions.
Kye has been with Cogito for about 3 years. He initially worked out of our Boston office, but moved to Colorado in summer of 2019 and has been working remotely ever since.
Anything fun about your ‘home office’ setup?
My ‘home office’ is actually in a shared space with my home gym, which I try to take advantage of throughout the day! Sometimes I can even squeeze in a few reps in between meetings.
What are you most excited about as we move to an ‘office optional’ workforce?
The most exciting thing about moving to remote work set up is the ability to invest time in work instead of commuting. I don’t miss countless hours enroute to the office, and the time back has made me more productive.
What is one thing that surprised you about working remotely when the COVID-19 pandemic began?
It really surprised me how many people were not prepared to work remotely. I’m grateful that we are helping frontline workers across the country receive the support they need during this time.
From a personal perspective, what is the biggest perk to working remotely?
Being close to the place you call home, and getting to spend more time in the comfort of your house.
From a professional perspective, what is the biggest perk to working remotely?
It’s simple, time efficiency. No more wasted time on the train or in a car – I can get to my work and use the excess time to enjoy those around me.
What are you working on that excites you this year?
I am really excited about work we are doing to integrate multi-modal data streams into our Machine Learning pipeline.
What old or new hobbies are you spending more time on lately?
I have been spending more time playing guitar and mountain biking. Living in Colorado has its perks there are so many beautiful places to ride. I sometimes head to big resorts like Copper, Winter Park or Crested butte, but also can choose from some awesome local trails in the Front Range like Mount Falcon, Deer Creek Canyon, Lair of the Bear, and Longs Peak.
What tips do you have for other people whose companies allow remote work for drawing the line between home and work?
Good question. I’m still looking.
Interested in joining our anywhere office? See our open roles here.