Business Productivity Center
The resource for informative articles, videos and tools for remote workers
Mastering the long-distance relationship
Experts share tips to succeeding as a telecommuter
Telecommuters have a more difficult time fostering relationships with managers and colleagues because they're physically absent from the office's daily grind. To ensure a successful telecommuting relationship, remote workers need to take extra steps to build trust and camaraderie and be recognized as a valuable team member.
Christine Durst, CEO of Staffcentrix LLC, a virtual-business training company, suggests the following:
Understand your boss' expectations. It's important to understand what your boss is expecting of you and how he or she views your role in the department. "Discuss these goals and ask your manager how the success of the telecommuting arrangement will be measured," Durst says. "Without benchmarks, you can't quantify your success, and that could mean you're jumping into a game with no rules that can't be won."
Establish a reporting system. Durst recommends that telecommuters set up a regular check-in schedule with their bosses and then keep those appointments. "Even if the call is just to say, 'Everything's cool,' it will help keep the relationship running smoothly," she says.
Be accessible during business hours. Reply to emails and voicemails in a timely fashion and answer the phone. "Failure to answer the phone breeds concern and skepticism in managers, but answering it will help reassure them that you are there for them and working as expected," Durst says.
Visit the office on a regular basis. According to a study by the University of California - Los Angeles, nonverbal cues determine 93 percent of communication effectiveness. "It's important to show up in person periodically and dazzle your boss and colleagues with a little body language," Durst says.
Your visits will help your colleagues understand you better, in terms of your communication style, personality and humor. This will enhance their ability to "read you" when you send written communications.
Keep background noise to a minimum. The joy of working from home is that you have the freedom to listen to music or your favorite talk show while you work. However, when the phone rings, there should be no distractions in the background. "When you're on a conference call, the sound of Magnum P.I. reruns blaring in the background isn't likely to win you respect," says Durst. "Instead, it's likely to cause jealousy among your peers: 'We're stuck in 8x8 cubicles, and he's home watching TV!'"
Another great aspect about working remotely is that you, for the most part, can set your own schedule. Sally Thornton, president of Flexperience LLC, says telecommuters can maximize their performance by managing their energy levels. If you're an early bird, get cranking at 6:30 a.m. and then take a mid-morning break. If you get energy from other people, consider working from a coffeehouse with Wi-Fi now and again, Thornton says.
"Think about how you perform best and set yourself up for the right mix of environment and people to give you the energy you need to thrive," she says.
