9 Ways to Be Better at Remote Work

At this point, you’d think we’d be better at remote work.

But it turns out, employees, teams and bosses still struggle to make remote work seamless.

Fifty-three percent of remote workers say it’s difficult to feel connected to their coworkers, a Pew Research study found. About 70% of remote workers feel burned out from using so many digital communication tools, a Forbes Advisor analysis found.

Why We Need to Be Better at Remote

Despite the drawbacks, 98% of employees would like to work remotely part or all of the time for the rest of their careers, according to research from Buffer.

“There’s plenty of data to back up the benefits of working remotely so work will continue even with the challenges ahead,” says John Williams, Head of Marketing at The Instant Group. “With planning, open lines of communication and the right tech, there’s no reason why companies can’t run successful remote teams for short periods or even integrate more into their future approach on a permanent basis.”

Since it’s in the future, let’s be better at remote work.

Here are the three critical areas of remote work and how to improve them.

Communication

We don’t communicate as well as we could when people work remotely. Yes, we have the tools. But we lack what face-to-face communication brings to the table:

• opportunity and ability to read body language
• spontaneous, fruitful discussions
• synchronous, effective feedback, and
• genuine personal connection.

Texts, phone calls, Zoom meetings and instant messaging (IM) can’t fully replace any of that. So we want to be more mindful of remote communication.

Several tips:

• Set communication expectations. Determine the channels you use for different types of communication — for instance, email for longer formatted information and IM apps for pressing issues. Decide on the expectations for responses to messages also, noting when people are NOT expected to respond.
• Ensure clarity. Four things to remember when communicating remotely: 1) Use simple terminology, not jargon, 2) Write in short, concise sentences, 3) Use bullet points, and 4) Use a short story to illustrate a point when necessary.
• Use reliable communication tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom for different types of communication needs (chat, video calls, project management) rather than relying solely on personal cell phones.
• Build in one-on-one time with each employee. Managers want to schedule regular catch-ups with agendas so your people can plan accordingly.
• Make sure you’re aligned. Survey remote employees to get feedback on communication practices and how they’re impacted. Adjust over time as some tools will outlive their usefulness.

Culture

Culture is generally built easier within a shared workspace. There, it’s usually embraced and built stronger. That’s why it’s important to put in more effort to build culture with dispersed teams.

To build a better remote culture, Instant Offices suggests:

• Team building: Make the effort to foster communication and build relationships like we did during the pandemic when we couldn’t see people. For instance, create an “office social life” by planning regular meetups, lunches and team building activities to boost team morale. Try virtual happy hours or coffee breaks, water cooler Slack chats where people can drop in when they need a break to discuss non-work subjects, and monthly book or movie club meetings.
• Recognition: Use the meet-ups and Zoom calls for public recognition and rewards. Send shout-outs in a team chat, during meetings or on an app board devoted to recognition.
• Offer professional and personal development. Show you value employees by helping them succeed and become the best versions of themselves. Offer online or “lunch and learn” sessions on subjects that help them with finances, career development, well-being and beyond. Establish mentor programs so newer employees can connect with seasoned employees to build a sense of belonging.

Comfort

How and where employees work remotely impacts remote work efficiency and satisfaction. Help employees with these practical work tips:

• Set a schedule. We won’t say “stick to a schedule” because realistically, we can’t always! But when remote employees maintain routines, they can stay as productive as if they were in an office.
• Set regular breaks. Stepping away for lunch, movement or regular breaks helps keep burnout at bay.
• Start and end the workday. Establishing a routine to start and end days helps build a barrier between work and life. It’s crucial to be able to switch off.
• Choose the best work area. Set up in an area of the home that’s comfortable, quiet, and set up for productivity.