Remote work is nothing new to our workforce. However, the accessibility to working from home has changed a great deal, allowing more people to work outside of the office while still fulfilling their responsibilities. With this comes a new debate about the importance of physical face-to-face time. Some believe it’s imperative to develop your career, whether it’s working to get that promotion or accomplishing that next task. Others think you don’t necessarily need to be physically face-to-face in to do what you want with your career and earn your colleague’s trust.
If you’re one of the doubters, follow these 6 tips for staying visible when working remotely.
Start That Video
To overcome the old adage out of sight, out of mind, use video whenever possible. Meetings give you an obvious opportunity to include video, but don’t look past projects either. If you or your team are working on something, create a short video sharing and explaining it, then send it to others. It shows that you’re willing to go the extra mile to keep yourself visible and boosts credibility and trust within your organization too.
Connect Across Departments More
It’s very easy to get caught up in your own responsibilities but remember to check in with others who might impact your tasks or the overarching collective goal. As a remote worker, communication is crucial to a business’s success. Collaborating with others across departments is a great way to discuss strategies, connect, and understand what others are working on.
Celebrate Whenever Possible
Working from home can be isolating. Make sure your team knows how they are doing by making a point to acknowledge people for their work. Giving shout-outs in meetings, over email, or via the messaging platform you use helps to energize the person you are recognizing and others hearing it. This is also a great way to share with others outside of your team how team members are doing and what is being accomplished. Also, don’t be afraid to pat yourself on the back whenever applicable without coming across as braggadocious.
Step Up and Lean In
Participate and engage whenever you have meetings and get involved in other meetings whenever discussion topics tie into your role. Lean on your boss to determine the best opportunities for you to show your face in meetings that make sense. It gives you access to other projects and brainstorming you might not have been privy to otherwise. Also, ask your boss if there are certain meetings you could take the lead on. This is another great way to increase your visibility.
Respond Promptly
Keep boundaries in mind but respond quickly to those who reach out to you. The same goes for when it comes to tasks on your plate or your general responsibilities. This leaves no question about the type of worker you are since people cannot see it for themselves in person. Responding promptly shows others they can count on you and trust in you to get things done.
Send Manager Weekly Rap Sheet
You might see yourself as an over communicator, which is key while working remotely, but still, consider sending your manager a weekly breakdown of what you’re working on and what you’ve accomplished. Doing so shows the value you bring to the organization and proves yourself as a reliable employee and a great communicator.
As a remote worker, which strategy works best for you when it comes to staying visible while not in person? Join the conversation on LinkedIn and check out Moving Away From the 9-to-5.
