The skills you need to succeed in remote working

As the world economy opens back up after Covid, many companies have decided to adopt a remote and hybrid working model for their employees.

While this looks slightly different for each company, it’s a significant change in how companies are viewing the benefits of giving their employees more freedom over their working location and schedule.

While this way of working certainly comes with its own advantages, it also requires its own set of skills too. It not just doing exactly the same thing as before, but from home.

In order to make it work for your company, employees will have to develop hybrid working skills that include embracing technology and becoming better at self-direction and collaborative working.

Being organised

How organised are you? When you don’t have to be at your desk for a particular time, with your boss and colleagues around you, can you organise yourself and your day?

Some people find it easier. Without the constant distraction of the office and the daily commute, organisation can be a lot easier and let you get more done.

Others may not find it so easy. Without the structure of a normal working day or the input of your boss, you might find it difficult to plan your days effectively.

Self-motivation

The best remote workers are those that require very little day-to-day management and can motivate themselves to do their jobs without their boss being ever present.

When moving from a traditional work environment to a remote one, there may be a period of adjustment, where even the most motivated of employees get to grips with the new way things are done.

The ability to focus

You’ll find that the distractions of the office are replaced by distractions at home. Maybe more so. Between children, neighbours, suddenly becoming the parcel drop off point for every person in your street.

Focus when working at home is vital, otherwise, your home life and your work life could bleed over into each other in an unhealthy way. Never being able to be truly at work, or to enjoy your downtime is a recipe for burnout and productivity issues.

Learning to focus on the task at hand is how you’ll achieve your daily tasks and a better work-life balance.

Being able to focus is a particularly hard skill to learn, but there are many things that you can do to minimise disruption such as create a clutter free, distraction free working area and encourage companies to implement policies that prevent employees from being overwhelmed with constant messages and team meetings. It is definitely something that improves with practice.

Technical expertise

Working from home requires at least some element of technical knowledge. If you’re opposed to anything beyond email and word, then remote working is not going to be easy for you and you won’t get the best out of it.

Companies must provide comprehensive training for staff on their chosen communication and collaboration tools. Give them tips for virtual meetings and how to make the best of technology in their rules.

Versatility and flexibility

To get the best out of your remote working arrangements, employees need a certain amount of flexibility in their attitudes to working and communication in this environment. After all, working alongside a dispersed team can bring with it its own challenges.

Communication skills

This is an area where companies are still trying to find their way. How often should team members be communicating, how much time should be spent on video calls?

There’s a balance between staying in touch and collaborating and being unable to do your job due to a never-ending stream of instant messages and meeting requests.

The ability to work as part of a team

Somewhat ironically, working remotely means that teamwork is even more important than ever.

Not being able to have the day to day physical contact with other employees can change the nature of relationships with regards to working together, communication and conflict management.

Policies and collaboration tools can only get you so far. Knowing how to work well as a team and respect that dynamic is vital.

Conclusion

It looks like some form of remote working is here to stay. Like all working practices, remote working has its pros and cons for different people.

It’s just important to recognise that the skills needed for each type of work are slightly different and need to be embraced and improved upon.

This will come more easily for some than for others, but it’s not impossible and there are plenty of things that companies can do to help employees with the transition.

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