Regardless of the current coronavirus outbreak, the core component of any working relationship is communication. You should be aware of exactly what is expected of you, so an open line to your boss with clear and concise instructions is a must.
Barbara Larson, a professor of management at Northeastern University in Boston who studies remote working says “Have really clear-set expectations for communications day to day,” She continued, “Ask [your manager] if they don’t mind having a 10-minute call to kick off the day and wrap up the day. Often times, managers just haven’t thought of it.”
In our normal working days we are used to being in close proximity to our boss, communicating readily but with the current situation, social distancing is necessary. However, a problem might arise on both ends of the employment spectrum as neither you or your boss might have experience working from home.
Apart from having to managing people virtually, the company itself might not have the necessary tools to utilise a home working environment, such as video conferencing and chat apps Skype, Whatsapp or Discord.
Other problems that may arise from suddenly having to work from home is the psychological affect that comes with this new structure and a sense of isolation. In 2019 the online brand development agency Buffer conducted a study of 2,500 remote workers and found that 19% of respondents cited loneliness as the second most challenging aspect of working from home.
Loneliness can make people feel less motivated and less productive. Sara Sutton, CEO and founder of FlexJobs, a remote job listing site, suggests a more face to face approach when dealing with communicating from your home office.
“Out of sight, out of mind can be a real problem for remote workers,” says Sutton, “The very best remote workers will reach out to coworkers and managers regularly” through a variety of tools.
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