The age of remote working is upon us. In the United States alone, 50% of the working population has the option to work remotely for a portion, or all of, the work week, and 80-90% of the US workforce will likely see the option in the near future. While it is not possible for all employers to allow work from home options (nurses and doctors, I am looking at you), the number of jobs managed on computers is greatly increasing, as is the need for hiring employees in locations where no corporate location is present.
Having the ability to work from home does not automatically make it an effective option for everyone. There are various circumstances that employers need to keep in mind when developing and defining their remote work policies. For example, evaluating the overall cost to maintain an office and how the company culture will be affected by having employees in different locations are just a few key details to consider.
Communication is something that comes naturally to most people and most are able to do it effortlessly in our day-to-day lives. However, workplace communication requires more thought and a pre-determined set of expectations. Individual employees will likely have a preference for how they like to communicate with the rest of the team, but the employer will need to set standards based on what works best for everyone as a whole. With tools like Slack, a direct messaging and group messaging system, Trello, a project management tool, and of course, email, there shouldn't be a lack of communication between employees when working remotely or in an office. For those that prefer to have a face-to-face option, weekly meetings via Google Hangouts or Skype are able to provide another level of interaction.
Once communication standards are set, it is easy to maintain a level of connectivity and confidence for employers and their employees. Publicist Jana McDonough of the Maracaibo Media Group, stresses that individuals working remotely need to remain completely transparent and communicate what they are working on, even though you can't see each other face-to-face.
If you are working towards a deadline and come across a problem, are you more likely to do what you can to meet your goals, or will you falter because no one else is around to tell you to keep going? Remote work can greatly benefit those who easily stay on task and can work through roadblocks, but those that need extra motivation may not be able to perform as well when others are not around. Employers need to be able to trust their employees to follow-through with their duties, even when others are not present.
When working remotely, you must also realize that you are your own IT department. If a connection problem occurs or something goes wrong with your computer, are you able to troubleshoot? It could be argued that too much responsibility can fall onto an individual when they are working from home. Working remotely does not take away the need to delegate to another co worker, but as an individual, each person will need to decide where that line is for himself or herself. A benefit to working alone is just that — being able to work in a quiet environment and concentrate on the task at hand. If you are not able to complete something individually, you should communicate with the team (see above) and decide what the next steps should be. Keep in mind that a great individual is better than a good team.
Finding your ideal work environment outside of the office based on your personality is necessary to successfully working remotely. You might assume that extroverts only work well when in an office setting surrounded by people or that introverts need to be secluded in order to succeed. The truth is that both personality types are able to succeed when working from home once they find the best routine to fit their personalities and preferences.
Extroverts are energized by the outside world, which can be fulfilled by heading to a coffee shop before work or participating in a social sport or event during the week. This allows for a more focused workday without distractions, but it also provides the interaction needed. Introverts on the other hand are calmed by quiet and solitude but will need to hone in on where to get their energy from throughout the day. Listening to music or working in a space away from the rest of their house can provide the separation needed.
If working from home is something that interests you, but your company doesn't allow it, let these five facts do the convincing:
To identify your own work-life personality preferences, try the Traitify Careers assessment today.
