How do I measure & maximise my success as a remote worker?
Do you think you can be successful at remote work?
Many staff members and employers still struggle with virtual workspaces.
Granted, the dynamics of a virtual office does have limitations.
These limitations have caused a number of employers to advocate for a return to the physical office.
If not a full return, hybrid models seem to be trending where team members are afforded options to work from home on certain days.
Whether your company is leaning towards a hybrid model, or going full speed ahead with a virtual office, there are some key considerations about remote work to observe.
These considerations, if implemented, would facilitate an easy virtual adjustment, and maximise remote worker success.
Some of these considerations include:
Having a productive work space
Part of the reason people tend to get work done in a physical work space is because, it is a work environment.
They are away from all the comforts and conveniences of home which can cause distractions.
Granted, many employers do try to create a relaxing and collaborative work environment to enhance productivity. However, essentially a physical work environment offers less distractions.
A major complaint of employers against remote work is the level of distraction. Remote working employees can be distracted by a number of things such as:
- Household chores,
- Activities around their house,
- Social media
- People – family, friends, people coming at the door etc.
- Pets
- Personal matters
Some of these distractions may be difficult to control. However, being a successful remote worker means getting your work tasks done, within an efficient timeframe and up to a high standard.
As such, if you are remotely working, it is essential to have a productive space that encourages creativity, focus and efficiency.
Other tactics to manage distractions and maintain a high work quality include:
- Finding a quiet part of the house where you can think, focus, work and speak uninterrupted.
- Dress for the day. Working in your pajamas may have you feeling sluggish as your body is still in a restful state. Get up each morning as you normally would and get out of your pajamas. This signals to your body and mind that it’s time for work.
- Avoid working where you mind get too comfortable such as the bed or couch.
- Manage your media. It’s going to be a challenge to focus on work while you’re also watching your favourite TV show or scrolling through social media. Give your employer what they’re paying for and turn off distracting media when working.
You get a taste of what management is
Being a remote worker removes the micromanagement aspect of a traditional workplace.
There is a high degree of freedom when working remotely. However, as the old saying goes, “with great freedom, comes great responsibility”.
Remote workers are responsible for themselves. This type of work model provides a “crash course” in management. This means, that you’re not micromanaged by a boss, but you need to be properly managed by yourself.
This means that you oversee:
- Managing your time – starting your workday on time as well as meeting deadlines
- Managing your workload and ensuring your daily tasks are completed
- Managing your communications with the wider team, ensuring you are available for virtual meetings, your emails and phone messages are checked and answered accordingly.
- Managing your physical health and wellbeing. Even though you should treat remote work with utmost diligence, don’t neglect your wellbeing by refusing to take a break or logging off at the appropriate time.
Remote work is celebrated for its flexibility. However, being a successful remote worker means being flexible enough to manage your personal daily operations and get work done.
Being a consistent learner
It’s no secret that remote work is largely dependent on technology. Anyone who’s familiar with the tech industry knows it is always evolving.
This means systems, software, solutions, platforms, techniques, and strategies are always being upgraded. To remain successful as a remote worker means you must be open to learning new things.
Whether it be exploring upgraded technology, newer software, different communication platforms or incorporating Artificial Intelligence programs, having a mindset of a lifelong learning will contribute significantly towards your success.
You face a global level of competition
In a traditional setting, a Caribbean company places a job advertisement, receives applications from the local labour market and sifts through to find their ideal candidate.
In this scenario, competition is limited to the geographical boundaries of the Caribbean nation you reside. For a remote job opportunity, people from all over the world can apply depending on how extensively the company has advertised.
Some companies may open a remote job opportunity across the Caribbean region, or even internationally.
Because of the flexibility and accessibility of remote work, the geographic borders that once limited a job opportunity virtually disappears.
You can very well find yourself competing with an entire region for an job position.
This means greater attention and care must be taken to keep your resume, skill set and mindset sharp and updated.
Your output is your credibility
Remote work has often been glamorised as this modern working experience that allows you to:
- Sleep in,
- Work in your pajamas,
- Spend the day on your laptop working from the comfort of home, a coffee shop or on the beach and basically,
- Calling the shots in your life.
While this is true to some extent, successful remote workers never forget that your work output comes first.
Usually, it takes a great deal of trust from an employer to have an employee fully remote, managing their own schedules, time and resources.
Unfortunately, there have been instances of employees abusing remote work privileges, missing deadlines and costing their employers time and revenue.
Therefore, to be successful at remote work, your output matters.
Why?
Because the delivery and quality of your output signals to an employer whether or not they can trust you from a distance to be a valuable resource to them.
As a remote worker, employers will continually evaluate the quality of your performance, accessibility, commitment and work ethic to determine your level of responsibility and integrity.
Having these qualities will inevitably allow you to become and remain successful within a remote or hybrid work model.
