There are lots of great things about working from home… You can catch up on all that great daytime television, pet your doggie whenever you want, and you can take lunch breaks to sunbathe! But the problem with all the freedom is sometimes your coworkers might think all you’re doing is watching “Wheel of Fortune” all day and not actually working. And the real problem with that is for those people, perception is reality. You don’t want people to ask “Is this person ACTUALLY working?” Instead you want them to think “This person is really working hard when they’re at home!”
1. Join all meetings BEFORE they start, and if there is a roll call make sure to announce yourself.
Having a hard time getting to meetings on time? Print out your daily schedule and stick it next to your monitor.
2. Try to provide AT LEAST ONE bit of input per meeting. Otherwise.. Why were you even on the call?
3. Turn your camera on so people can see you’re paying attention
Wear something professional looking… and no… changing in to your daytime pajamas doesn’t count
Be in a room that looks workish… don’t have a TV running in the background
4. Don’t turn your camera on if you’re at the beach
5. Living the Digital Nomad lifestyle? Don’t brag about where you’re working remotely from.
6. Need to run an errand? Take your phone and your headset. You can do it while you’re on the meeting!
7. Respond to phone calls you can’t answer with a text
Finishing up another meeting. I’ll get back to you in 30 minutes! That meeting could be lunch! But just let them know you are aware they called, and a time you’ll reconnect, instead of leaving them to wonder.
8. Respond to all e-mails by the end of the day. Even if the response is “Got it.. Will get back to you tomorrow or later this week”
9. Volunteer for tasks occasionally
Or even suggest tasks… don’t wait to be told what to do. Sometimes remote workers are out of sight and out of mind. Which could be bad when it comes to evaluation time and you don’t have much to show for it.
10. Turn in mini bits of work to show progress
11. Have a shared calendar? Put “task time” in the calendar to show what you’re working on.
