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TCN PROFESSIONAL JOURNAL FALL 2021 |
way that makes each feel connected and valued , despite the lack of on-site proximity . The human equation cannot be left out , those wired to be around others might fail without strong and intentional interaction .
Communication is crucial to ensure employees are working from home vs being at home trying to work .
SET BOUNDARIES
Boundaries are important to establish a balance between work life and home life now that the two have become one . Leadership may need to help employees with this one , or perhaps they need help themselves . Boundaries also allow for an easier transition if working remotely starts , stops , and then starts again .
When possible , have dedicated spaces at home for work and for home life . For example , use the dining room for school and work , and the kitchen table for eating . If that isn ’ t possible , make a room transition by removing all school / work from the kitchen before using it for dinner . These transitions help ensure the space you are occupying doesn ’ t become a hindrance .
It is also wise to communicate to those you live with when you are working vs “ when you are home .” Everyone in the house should know if you ’ re working . This will help avoid awkward interruptions while you are on video calls ; it also helps enforce a needed boundary . When you communicate that you are working your family should connect with you as they would if you were not physically working in the house .
Since we are not all the same it is important for employees and employers to communicate about these boundaries . Making assumptions can lead to disaster and lost productivity , and can create a
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stigma preventing working remotely from ever being effective for some employees and employers .
READ , WRITE , AND TAKE , NOTES
The amount of communications and the seemingly inorganic nature of staff communications can make working at home challenging . Without the ease of walking down the hallway , many meetings and discussion are happening via email or online chat . Video calls have a more intense nature , too . It can feel like a lot of information to consume in a relatively short period of time . Not to mention all the instructions and procedural changes being sent out to cope with rapid operational changes in an organization transitioning to a remote workforce .
Writing is skills are key as that becomes the primary way to communicate back to your coworkers . Writing concise and well organized emails and the ability to chat briskly to keep meetings moving are crucial to keeping current with the swift flow of data that surrounds us .
Here are a few ways you can keep up if you aren ’ t a voracious reader or if written communications doesn ’ t come easy for you :
1 . Reference your existing resources . Before asking someone to say or send something again , check your inbox , sent items , deleted items , and chat histories . This is a great way not to drain resources . It is a smart professional strategy .
2 . Take notes . There is nothing wrong with using a Word document , OneNote or Evernote , or even a legal pad to keep notes . Notes of any kind can be a great personal reference . Professionallevel accuracy cannot succeed on your memory .
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3 . Study . Even though you may not be in school , these changing times require us to spend our time differently . Study and review what happened during your day and prepare for the next day . This will grow your skillset , improve you as a professional , and increase your impact .
GET A ROUTINE
It can be easy to just wing your working-from-home routine . Research suggests , however , “ winging it ” is not an effective way to work from home . Keeping a schedule and routine is as important for the remote worker as it is for their family and applies to anyone working remotely – employee or employer .
Keeping a routine also helps ensure that normal life isn ’ t forgotten . It is still good to brush your teeth and comb your hair and make sure you ’ re presentable for those video calls . Keeping a routine is a surefire way to maintain productivity and not drain resources from your organization . Leadership should not take routine for granted and assume , just because an employee is working from home , that the routine fits them .
ACCOUNTABILITY
When it comes to working remotely , accountability is often either completely overlooked or over-emphasized . Employers can care too much while employees might not care enough . Accountability can be organic – is the job getting done ? If not , is that an employee issue or a leadership issue ? There is no doubt working remotely creates opportunities for ( air quotes ) “ working remotely .” Leading and providing accountability for a remote workforce is not the same as in an on-site work environment , but there are
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