Remote but Reluctant? Survival Tips for the Virtual Office

Dearest Extrovert colleagues - which is to say, most of you – having work-from-home policies forced on you may feel disorienting. Having this imposed as a policy can leave you feeling isolated, even unfair. No one wants to be called an asymptomatic carrier, but that doesn’t make change any easier on you. There are some legitimate drawbacks to working from home, and it takes some time to get used to.

Over the next few days, I'll share tips to help the Reluctant Remote Worker overcome some drawbacks of the work-from-home setup.

#1 “I can’t contact people when I need them.”

You’re working from home, so your “desk phone” is useless. On short notice, if IT hasn’t already set up VOIP for everyone, it’s not happening overnight. There may be enterprise-level chat software installed by IT, but building the habit of using it is wholly another matter. Another email follow-up is not appropriate to create urgency, or ask a simple question.

In-Office Equivalent: There were still times you couldn’t find people. They were off trying to find someone else in a cubicle-themed mashup of “Tag”, “Hide and Seek,” and “Octopus.” In the virtual version of this game, their booming voice doesn’t betray their location, and can’t be heard in the background of your customer calls.

Solution: Circulate a list of personal phone numbers, and agree on a group chat / WhatsApp or other similar mobile app to replace desk visits.

This can replace conversations like “I just sent you an Urgent email.” Or “The client meeting is in 1 hour – I’m still missing…” If someone gets annoyed by these interruptions, see it as an opportunity to reinforce using the enterprise software. 

Comment to help me prioritize your real concerns, and share your experiences.

The next tip is coming tomorrow!