When people hear that I work remotely there are many responses. I’m not sure that people realize the many aspects of it. If you read my blog you know that I’m a huge proponent of working remotely. This post is a summary of considerations that both the employee & employer need to consider for a successful experience.
Working remotely suits the community building role for a number of reasons. We are an independent type that is self motivated. There are also many advantages to not being onsite:
- provides a unique perspective from the customer’s eyes
- ability to wok on projects without frequent interruptions at the office
- employer has access to a larger more skilled & experienced hiring pool
- it’s convenient to work flexible hours & provide 24/7 service
- utilization of Web 2.0 tools
- higher job satisfaction
- lower cost of living
The downsides for working remotely:
- working too many hours (I am guilty)
- lack of social interaction in real life with coworkers
- conference calls with speakerphones are a pain
I’ve been working remotely for 12 years. As a librarian, my region office was 75 miles away. I supervised 7 sites. Online I’ve worked with a number of companies. The main ones have been located in Victoria, BC Canada, Herndon, VA, San Francisco, and my present one is in Rochester, NY. (I live in northern Minnesota)
The following considerations for working remotely are important. Many of these are important in any workplace.
- the contact at the company plays a big role
- trust & respect are imperative
- common vision & goals
- listening & communication in both directions
- outline expectations for both sides
- will provide internal support & connection
- deliverables rather than a time clock
- projects & routine tasks based on a timeframe
- goals based on strategy & objectives (mutually established)
- reporting based on deliverables
- collaboration tools – it’s all about efficiency
- imperative to working remote
- utilize what the company has established & add to that if needed
- share calendars for scheduling meetings
- wikis are great for planning
- access to the bug reporting software (yes I provide product feedback directly into the system)
Suggestions for success in working remotely:
- Establish relationships with key people in the organization
- Find out how they prefer to communicate & use that
- Be perceptive to needs of the organization & remember that at meetings you’ll be missing the nonverbal cues
- Train them in Web 2.0 activities – this will build mutual respect
- Talk about what your work & responsibilities because many may not know what you’re doing
- Circulate positive feedback within the company (I love sending company wide emails :) ) Remember that you’re the link to the customers
- Encourage communication internally amongst departments – I frequently joked, "Don’t you people talk to each other?!!"
- Ask the right questions (see the previous one) – there is more burden on you as a remote employee to stay up to date.
- Work with a transparent organization.
- Interview the potential employer in order to identify expectations.
Home office visits are another important aspect of working remotely. I will be covering that in a future post. That is a time to solidify the relationships & get to know each other in person.
If you’re en employer I would encourage you to consider offering a remote option. The advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. As more knowledge workers realize that they offer valuable assets think that geography will become less of an issue.
What questions do you have about working remotely?
The Unique Considerations of Working Remotely http://tinyurl.com/8h99g5 thanks @mfdez
The Unique Considerations of Working Remotely http://tinyurl.com/8h99g5
I’ve been working remotely for a decade now (two different employers) and can’t imagine going back to working in an office. Yes, I work too many hours and feel guilty when I have to run to the post office or the general store for some cream for my coffee.
That said, we have recently had a change in top management and for the first time I feel isolated. Over half of us, and all but one member of the management team, are remote. Communication with co-workers is key – whether to keep informed of overall activities (and the heartbeat of the organization) or to collaborate on a project, no matter how large or small.Unfortunately this is now thought to be a waste of time. I know my job, I do it well, and I have plenty of projects to keep me busy. I’m in constant communication with our members. But I feel like a one-man band.
Great post Connie. A lot of my younger colleagues question the work at home environment of my company and the reality of meaningful work getting accomplished outside of an office setting.
Admittedly, as my first position out of college, the isolation has at times been quite challenging. Working too many hours is certainly an easy trap to fall into and there are days when I won’t leave the house until after dinner.
Still, nearly two years in, I find the relative freedom and flexibility to be a serious upside. If coworkers want to idly chat you can simply ‘X’ out their IM box. Plus no commute!
Great and timely post, Connie.
The more I’ve been searching for community manager roles, the more remote positions I see. There is always hesitation, especially for someone who’s never been in a remote position before but feel confident in jumping into one, especially with the insight you’ve given here.
I think a big aspect is definitely having a rapport with the employer or manager before hand as you are losing that personal contact. Having that makes the communication between the two parties much smoother.
Connie,
What specific advice do you have for either one-time project teams or ongoing teams – where members are not located in the same place?
What helps them collaborate will towards a specific goal or main mission? I’d love to see pithy, practical you tackle that topic in a future post.
As a former WSJ reporter who now covers methods and success stories for accomplishing something greater together than we can alone (“Me2We”) I think your insights would be helpful to me and others.
– Another fan of CB blog
P.S. I’ve spoken at about 18 annual conferences of librarians – and love the lively interaction amongst avid readers and learners
This is excellent advice! I’ve been working remotely since 1986 and wouldn’t have it any other way.
One thing I’d add is that if you’re working solo/virtually in an office by yourself, than it is important that you get away from the computer, take a walk, talk to other people. I make myself get away during lunch or in the morning and go to the gym – the exercise is good for the brain .. and going to a class connects me with people.
Connie, great advice! You cover all of the bases. As it appears that I may be working remotely for the first time in my career, I find this advice both timely and invaluable.
Thank you!
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