What To Do If You Are the Only One Remote

I was on bed rest for five months with my first child. I felt alone and forgotten by my colleagues who spent their days in the office. I had to find ways to stay visible and valuable. I learned a lot then, but I wish I had known more.

If you are working remotely, here are some suggestions I hope will help (some I used, and some I wish I had):

• Meet or exceed deadlines. The pandemic has decreased the stigma about working from home. Still, some leaders may revert to old stereotypes about remote workers wasting time.

• Communicate. Avoid being “out of site, out of mind” by communicating early and often. This will also help create a perception of rock-solid reliability.

• Maintain personal connections. You won't be able to build relationships during informal hallway conversations or an unplanned lunch break. Try inviting colleagues to one-on-one virtual coffee or hosting a virtual networking event.

• Be visible. Keep your camera on, even if others don’t. No one can see your pajama bottoms or yoga pants.

• Make sure you're easy to work with. Ask your colleagues about their communication preferences. Do they want phone calls? Email? Slack? Make sure you understand how — and when — they expect to be able to reach you.

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