3 Tips for Successfully Working Remote
“I have only one rule,” my manager said. “Don’t go dark on me.” Our office was scheduled to close at the end of the year, and everyone would soon be disbanded to the suburbs of Atlanta to begin working remotely. His guidance meant that when he needed to get ahold of team members during normal business hours, we would be available.
Fair enough.
Some made it work, others didn’t. Those who did enjoyed the benefits of working from home; those who didn’t were eventually asked to leave the company.
Which brings us to the question…how can I make others feel like I’m in the office right next to them, when working remotely? Consider the following suggestions.
Present Yourself Professionally
The best way to stay connected to remote team members is through video. Get a good camera (right around $100) and allow your peers to see you in your natural habitat. Don’t rely on your laptop webcam, which won’t transmit the best picture and usually puts you in a very unflattering position…like looking up your nose.
Wear what you would wear in the office. If business casual is the norm in your company, co-workers may be surprised if you show up on camera looking like you just mowed the lawn. Keep background noise to a minimum, ideally non-existent. Barking dogs, crying babies, and ringing doorbells can really detract from the business at hand. It’s also good to position your desk in such a way that you control your visual background.
Don’t Go Dark
Although we are, arguably, too connected via technology these days, it is a good thing when you are expected to be connected. Teams, Slack, Sharepoint and other collaboration tools make it easy to chat, call, video, and share files. Make sure whatever tools your office uses are also installed on your phone so you can be available whenever and wherever during working hours.
The burden of making remote working “work” falls on the employee. Remote-friendly employers will have systems and procedures in place to support a remote workforce, but ultimately it's up to the employee to make it a success.
Give everyone a heads up if you plan to be offline for a while. This could be as easy as setting your status to “Be Right Back” so your colleagues (and more importantly, your manager) won’t wonder what happened to you.
Overcompensate
The burden of making remote working “work” falls on the employee. Remote-friendly employers will have systems and procedures in place to support a remote workforce, but ultimately it's up to the employee to make it a success. Strive to join meetings early and be the first on the call. There’s nothing worse than “Does anybody know if (insert your name) is going to join?” and the question goes unanswered. Minutes of awkward silence follow while you are then tracked down.
It’s also good to preemptively communicate when remote. Provide updates, let co-workers know you are done with something, and respond with lightning speed to inquiries. Staying on top of these things will make others feel like you are right next door.
And, I’ll throw in one more tip for good measure…
Please, Oh Please, Learn How to Use the Mute Button
OK. This one is my pet peeve. “Sorry, I had you on mute” is no longer funny. We should all know how to use the mute button. Learn to know when it’s on or off.
Hopefully you won’t find yourself working remotely because your office has closed. But, chances are high that you will, if you don't already, work remotely at some point. Surveys show that 70% of professionals work from home at least one day a week, and 53% for at least half of the week. Implementing the above tips will keep the lights on and ensure you never go dark!
Be sure to read 3 Reasons to Not "Phone It In" When You are A Remote Worker on why using Video beats just Audio any day.
