Even though working from home has steadily decreased over the past year, the amount of people who still currently work from home is almost triple what it was compared to 2019. As many of us have gotten used to this new environment, the dynamics for getting ahead in your career have changed. Without face to face time, It’s much harder to build relationships with your superiors in order to move up the ladder. Because of this shift, we’ll show you some minor adjustments you can make when thinking of how to get ahead working from home.
Given the current precarious economic environment and the volatile nature of companies who primarily hire a remote workforce, this advice applies equally well to help you avoid lay offs. While no one can guarantee job security during a company restructuring in a recession, the advice below will at least give you a leg up when hard decisions need to be made.
Some of this advice will add value to your work and make you a more productive employee. Admittedly, some of these points will show you how to appear more productive and sharp, which is also important in a remote environment. But it doesn’t necessarily add value to your actual work.
As always, it’s up to you to figure out what to prioritize. You can only put so many band-aids on poor work output, so this advice won’t mean much if you don’t produce.
“Show up” on time
Your company probably has a set start time, but those of us who have worked from home for awhile understand the flexible nature of the 9-5 WFH time.
But you must appear industrious. Benjamin Franklin mentions this point multiple times in his biography as he was building his career and media empire. He always made it a point for people to see him working productively before and after hours. And while he was actually working hard, it was this perception that gained the trust of his community to buy his newspapers. They could trust that the man behind the publication was doing everything he could to create the best possible output.
While you don’t necessarily have to burn the midnight oil (depending on your career and goals), it does mean you should aim to appear industrious. This means showing up to your computer and being available via Slack (or your company’s internal communication system) and email at your start time. Ideally you can show up 10-15 minutes early, answer a couple messages, and show everyone you are putting in the extra little effort even when you don’t have to.
Answer messages and emails quickly and efficiently, and try to communicate as promptly as possible. This shows people that you are alert and locked in. And if you do need focus time for certain tasks that require unbroken concentration, make sure to block off the time.
Don’t go overboard with it. Some people wait to answer email or messages well after hours. This can be obnoxious and show a lack of respect for other people’s schedules. If it can be done during work hours do it then.
Only work after work hours if it’s urgent or specifically an expectation with your job. Otherwise, wait until the next morning.
Prep for team calls
Almost all work from home jobs require multiple zoom or virtual meetings per day. Some of these are necessary and productive, while others can seem like a waste of time.
We’ve all sat through meetings where the host or a major contributor was clearly unprepared. These meetings drag on as this person tries to stumble through their responsibilities, and everyone ends up frustrated. It’s easy to lose respect for these folks if it happens consistently
Regardless of your feelings for these meetings, one big way to stand out in front of multiple people is to always be prepared. If you are the host or responsible for reporting something, make sure your meeting or your part is well outlined. It can help everyone else to send a quick meeting agenda beforehand, so they know what to expect. It will also help keep things on track and efficient, which everyone will appreciate.
The best part is, it doesn’t take much time or effort to prepare.
If you host a meeting, take a few minutes to create and send out an agenda. If you play a major part in a meeting, prepare what you’ll say or present. Write it down and practice it once or twice. This quick and simple practice will greatly improve how people perceive your preparedness. This can take 5-10 minutes, and it will make you look much better.
If you develop a good reputation for hosting streamlined and efficient meetings and showing up prepared, people will respect you at work. You’ll appear put together, smart, and prepared. When looking for how to get ahead while working from home, being prepared puts you in a good light.
Show your work
Others may have trouble judging your actual contributions in a remote environment. You have to make sure to sell your accomplishments, but in a way that doesn’t make you appear obnoxious. Balance is key.
If you work with a project management tool, make sure you break down your projects and tasks in as much detail as possible, then give continual updates as you make progress. Track all deliverables and key metrics if possible. Your superiors will forget accomplishments unless they are documented with numbers. Use data of your accomplishments to really sell the story of your importance.
If your company does not utilize such a tool, track what you can in a spreadsheet, and review it with your manager on a regular basis.
Treat tracking your work with the same importance as doing your actual work. I know it sounds ridiculous and doesn’t actually make you more productive, but no one will remember your contributions otherwise. This is a key when thinking about how to get ahead working from home.
If you find it difficult to track your contributions, sit down with your manager and create concrete goals that you both can measure objectively. This way you can show how much you are working to achieve your goals. And if your company doesn’t have a set framework for goal-setting, then maybe you can take your chance to implement something.
Overcommunicate
Taking an hour to focus on an important task? Put up a “busy” status on your internal messaging app. Not sure about a deliverable? Ask for clarity. Not sure who should be doing what on a project or workflow? Sort it out with the other stakeholder. Not sure if you need to ask or say something? Ask or say it anyway, just to be sure.
Communicating with your colleagues is difficult in a remote environment. A lot can get lost in all the slack messages, project updates, emails, and other written forms of communication. Things slip through the cracks all the time. In the past, you could drop by someone’s office to quickly clarify. Now, with the ability for people to be more hands off, you have to be more proactive.
And don’t worry about bothering people. Those involved in your work will likely appreciate the extra effort to ensure things don’t slip through the cracks. This is one way how you can get ahead while working from home.
Mind your appearance
As we discuss more thoroughly in this article, your appearance does matter in a remote job. Even if people only see you from the top of your shirt up.
To summarize, your clothes dictate your attitude. Maintain high standards in all areas of your life – that’s what gentlemen do. Wearing a stained t-shirt and old sweatpants all day will subconsciously revert you to the attitude of an irresponsible teenager.
You’ll act much more professionally if you dress like a grown up. While you don’t need to wear a suit if everyone else is wearing t-shirts, you should follow these rules:
- Make sure your clothes are clean
- Don’t wear old ratty sweatpants, pajama bottoms, or an old hoodie all day
- Wash your hair and mind your grooming – shave or trim your facial hair if needed
- Try to dress the same or one notch dressier than everyone else (if most people wear t-shirts, wear a polo shirt or a clean, simple, nice t-shirt)
- Keep your desk and home office neat and clean
People respect someone who puts off the vibe that they are put together. This is one way how you can get ahead working from home. Keeping up your appearance standards, even if no one at work can see you, will give off a positive impression.
Don’t complain
Due to the less personal nature of remote work, it’s easy to throw complaints to your friends and co-workers in your private DMs. While this can provide some level of bonding (and, yeah, sometimes it’s fine), no one respects someone who complains about every little thing all the time.
If you can control the outcome of something, try to offer a solution instead of a complaint. When people see you as solution-oriented instead of someone who merely points out problems, you will earn extra respect from your colleagues.
If you’re going to complain, at least offer a solution.
Move on if you must
Since you currently work remotely, you likely could work in a similar role for other companies all over the country (or world). If your company keeps passing you over for promotions, or it looks like they may start laying people off, it never hurts to look at your options.
With so many remote jobs available, it may take a move to find the perfect fit. Better to be proactive about it before it’s too late. Don’t stick with a job where you know you’ve hit your ceiling. Know when to move on to move up.
Conclusion
When thinking of how to get ahead working from home, this advice should lead you in the right direction. I didn’t even mention putting in extra work, continuing education, or leveling up your skillset. While these investments in yourself should obviously move your career forward, the little tips and tricks mentioned in this article are all things you can do today to make an immediate impact on your perception in your company.