First time working remotely? Elaine Varelas provides some practical guidance
Many workers are displaced right now, but working remotely doesn't have to be an intimidating prospect. Like any other change, a new work space requires some adjustments to make it work-ready for you. With a focus on communication and professional routines, Elaine Varelas provides some practical ways to help you adapt to your new physical environment.
Q: In response to the pandemic, my office is switching to remote work, but most of us have never worked from home before. What advice do you have to help me make the transition easier? Are there certain things I should and shouldn’t do? What can I expect to be different?A:
The circumstances are not ideal, yet working from home can be a great opportunity even with its challenges, which can be difficult to prepare for. First, recognize that you will be working from home, not being home. Everyone needs to understand why you are there, so face head-on that you will actually be working. Distractions will surround you. Kids may be home, laundry needs to be done, and meals need to be cooked. You need to remember that you’re already saving a huge amount of time on commuting. Try and use that time to do the household chores that demand your attention, and avoid trying to squeeze it in during your work hours. You should also remind family that while you are home, you are working.
Arrange your office work space. Create a private area in your home with all of the tools that you need, whether it’s your laptop, your headset, your cell phone, a printer… Every possible thing that you would typically use in the office, and make sure you have it available at home so that you can be as productive as you normally would be in your new physical environment. Don’t forget the ergonomics of things – couches are comfortable but your neck and back won’t thank you, and effective lighting can’t be overlooked. Many people with kids or even a spouse or partner at home find the WORK IN PROGRESS – DO NOT DISTURB sign very useful on the outside of the door or area they have designated as a work zone.
Managers who have not yet mastered the ability to manage their remote team may struggle to keep projects moving or understand what it is you’re doing. You should talk to your manager about the best way to keep communications steady. Maybe you can schedule daily phone calls or email check-ins. Keep your calendar current about what you are working on so that others know when you are available and which projects are moving forward. Keep your work hours steady as well, with a standard start time, built in breaks, lunch, and time to move physically to keep your energy up.
Help your manager see your activity. Because no one knows how long this situation will continue, you should try to get in the habit of documenting the things you work on, on a daily basis. There are a variety of ways you can do this, but you can start by adding items to your calendar so that your manager can review the work you’re doing. Put future tasks in your calendar as well, so that you can take a look at not only what today looks like, but what the week or month forward looks like, too.
You may also want to create a communication schedule with coworkers or colleagues you would typically deal with on a regular basis. One of the conveniences of the office is that you can walk to the cube next to you to ask a quick question, so make sure to be mindful about how frequently you’re reaching out. Consolidate some of your questions so that you’re not regularly interrupting people with communications, which can feel very demanding to your colleagues. Keeping track of the things you’d like to talk about can be very beneficial for you and for your colleagues in the long run.
The most important thing to keep up is communication, whether it’s via Skype, email, Zoom, or your cell phone. Do remember to stay in touch with people. Customers, colleagues, vendors – anyone you work with on a normal basis. Go through your contacts and see if there are people you should be maintaining relationships with who are not top of mind for you because of the location change. Make sure you continue to keep in touch with your internal customers as well, and that they know how to reach you.
For people who are new to working from home, they often envision others rolling out of bed, in their pajamas, getting their coffee, and turning on the computer. Should that be the way you start to work? Perhaps, but then you may decide to get up, shower, and change. You may find yourself being sloppy and less invested in your work if you do. Stick to your usual work routine. Professional demeanor suggests that you dress for work. This mind shift will encourage you to recognize that you’re at work and keep up the level of professional results you typically perform. And anyway, you don’t want to find yourself caught by a Zoom meeting in a ratty T-shirt or silk pajamas by mistake. Job seekers have been caught off guard by interviewers noting a professional screen presentation and asking the candidate to stand, only to discover shorts or pajama pants. This is not the image you want to project.
When you are preparing for your digital face-to-face meetings, make sure you’re aware of how you look, old T-shirts aside. Set your camera up ahead of time to show your whole face, and consider how the angle and lighting may reflect your professional persona (elevate your laptops, if need be). You should also check your backdrop for distracting or unprofessional items, such as dirty laundry or other messy setups.
If you’re not technology-comfortable, now’s the time to become proficient. There are plenty of online courses available, or you may have colleagues who can offer you training. You could even ask your company to run trainings on the different aspects of technology that are now called for, such as Zoom or other digital meeting platforms. Make sure you consolidate your passwords for all the tools your organization uses, but also make sure you store them somewhere safe, such as an encrypted password keeper.
If you have a phone system at work, then forward your office extensions to your own phone so that it rings at home. If you make a lot of outgoing calls and don’t want to use your personal cell as a business tool, you can talk to your HR manager about a soft phone app.
One of the challenges you may find yourself struggling with is the isolation, perhaps not on day one, but after a few days when the novelty wears off. Schedule calls with colleagues dealing with the same situation. Having breaks is part of work, and physical and mental ”time outs” provide a needed break from heads down computer or phone work.
If you get overwhelmed, call your manager. Take a break. This is a change which will take time to get used to – hopefully just on time to go back to the office, or as part of a new way to work.
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