How to Create Professional Relationships While Working Remotely

How to Create Professional Relationships While Working Remotely

There are many benefits to working remotely including flexibility, zero commutes, and savings on time. On the flip side, sometimes working from home can make employees feel alienated from the workplace. Below, are 6 tips to create professional relationships while working remotely!

Be an extrovert.

Working remotely can prevent you from building relationships and meeting new people in the office. Try to push yourself to get out of the house more by setting up out-of-the-office lunches and/or coffee meetings with colleagues and bosses.

Make phone calls.

Email is a terrific tool, but it can also lead to workplace conflicts when taken out of context. Recognize when you need to talk and make a phone call every once in awhile. Having a phone conversation might take up a little more time than normal, but it can also build camaraderie. Who knows, you might even get the latest office scoop!

Communicate when you’ll be away.

Along with making your presence known, you should also communicate with your team and let them know when you will not be working. Just like in a traditional office setting, you don’t want to disappear and leave your colleagues hanging. If you use any type of instant messaging, be sure to send “away messages” when you’re at lunch or in a meeting so that coworkers don’t assume you are ignoring them.

Be dependable.

When coworkers don’t see you on a daily basis, they may feel uneasy about your progress on projects and deadlines. Build a good reputation for dependability by always doing what you say. Also give involved teammates a heads-up if schedule conflicts arise with projects.

Have over-the-phone standup meetings.

Standup meetings give coworkers a chance to talk about the state of a project. These are common in traditional offices, but they can also be productive for remote workers and teams. In a traditional standup meeting, coworkers talk about current projects, what they will be working on, and address any obstacles that have come their way. They’re a great way to enforce communication between all parties!

Build relationships through social media.

Try staying in touch with your colleagues through LinkedIn. Be sure to have your LinkedIn updated so that new hires who haven’t met you yet can get a sense of who you are. You should also join LinkedIn groups relating to your industry, employer, and other interests you have. This will help give you a virtual feeling of being connected to a community. If you need help updating your LinkedIn profile, we’ve got tips for you, here.

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