Remote work can be described as its own culture.
Though it has gained greater prominence during the pandemic, people have been working remotely for years.
Some of these people have been freelancers or expatriates working for companies based in foreign countries.
Tools such as the internet, social media and video-conferencing platforms have made this lifestyle possible.
However, while much has been made about the convenience and “glamour” of the remote lifestyle, it is sometimes inevitable to forget, that remote work is work.
As such, with any job, company or industry, there will be drawbacks.
Yes, you can gain much more freedom, autonomy and flexibility as a remote worker, but some of the drawbacks may include sacrificing certain privileges.
Therefore, when pursuing remote work opportunities, particularly, for companies external to the Caribbean, certain provisions must be considered:
You must adapt to a different culture
Though one region, Caribbean countries, have different cultures that are distinguishable from one another but also, with fundamental similarities.
As Caribbean nations, we do share a common history, geography and social structure.
As such, a freelancer may find adapting to another English-speaking Caribbean island’s culture is not a drastic change.
Yes, there will be some cultural nuances, one may expect.
However, the real shift comes with pursuing opportunities outside the Caribbean. Even in English-speaking northern countries such as the United States or Canada, there’s a larger culture to which you must adapt.
For example, with your American colleagues, their work ethic may be different. It is not uncommon to find in developed countries, the staff members there prefer a more fast-paced lifestyle.
As a result, they may expect their work submissions, deadlines, standards and communication to be prompter and more specific than what you may be accustomed to.
Additionally, as a remote team member for a global north company, keep in mind that it’s very common to be working alongside people who do not look or sound like you.
Also, as far as public holidays are concerned, your company may only recognise public holidays associated with their country.
For example, in the US, they will recognise fourth of July Independence Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas as non-working holidays.
Unless your direct manager specifies otherwise, that US-based company may not recognise local Caribbean holidays as off-work days.
As such, you may have to adapt to a diverse team and work schedule as a contracted remote worker.
Adapting to different linguistic details.
Even among Caribbean nations, you would find various colloquial words, unique to one island, even if the language across the board is fundamentally English.
Working for a company foreign to the Caribbean region, however, may require more adaptation.
For example, in the US, you will know there are differences in which certain words are spelt, compared to the British spelling, which Caribbean countries use.
For example, words such as “labour, defence, organisation, grey or catalogue” would be spelled as “labor, defense, organization, gray or catalog” in American English.
As such, when working for foreign companies, ensure that you familiarise yourself with their linguistic and grammar structure.
If not, the quality of the work you submit may be deemed grammatically inaccurate.
Adapting to different time zones
Unless you’re working for a company on the other side of the world, based in Europe, Africa or Asia-Pacific, the time difference may not be as noticeable.
However, it is still important to be aware of your employer’s time zone versus your own.
Caribbean countries fall under Eastern or Atlantic Standard Time. The eastern side of the US and Canada would fall within the same time zone, typically with an hour or so behind.
However, if the company you work for is based on the American or Canadian western coast, such as California or British Columbia, their time zone would be Pacific.
Pacific time zone is roughly three hours behind Caribbean nations.
Therefore, if your manager wants to have a zoom meeting at 12:00 noon Pacific time, you should be keenly aware that this translates to 3:00pm in Caribbean time.
Therefore, it is essential as a remote worker to identify where your company is based and calculate the time difference.
This helps you to organise your work schedule, as well as establish a reliable communication system with other team members.
Self-reliant onboarding
In a physical work setting, you have the luxury of having a physical onboarding program.
In a remote setting, a lot of the learning you will do is self-based.
Communication, through advancing, is still limited in a sense that remote interactions are void of physical proximity.
Therefore, your employer may provide a set of instructions, suggestions, ideas and training resources.
However, it will be up to you to familiarise yourself with the subject material and experiment as you go along.
Even if you do have an online guide and mentor, as a remote worker, you will spend a lot of time on your own.
Therefore, even with a virtual team available to assist, you should be comfortable problem-solving on your own and going through a trial-and-error phase to see what works for you.
Provide consistent updates
You will be spared from micromanagement, which is one of the rewards of the remote work lifestyle.
However, don’t assume that your manager isn’t interested in your progress or output.
Normally, they would indicate their expectations before you begin your job.
However, even if they do not specifically ask for it, always provide consistent updates.
In a remote work environment, communication becomes much more vital, given the lack of physical proximity.
Therefore, whether it’s daily or weekly, establish a pattern of consistently providing work updates to your superiors.
This helps both parties establish a communication pattern as well as track your performance and progress.
Aside from this, regular updates also demonstrate a sense of reliability and commitment to the progress of the organisation.
Reliability and commitment foster a high level of trust.
Ultimately, trustworthiness becomes the cornerstone for a healthy and rewarding remote work relationship with an employer or client.
