How to get noticed by your managers and your boss when you work from home?
Climbing the corporate lather was so easy back in the days when you could just enter your boss’ office with a brilliant idea and then have the green light for it in a matter of minutes. Your managers could always see you hustling through the day, and they could note your visible efforts in their agendas.
Yet, 2020 happened, and now you are stuck at home. You love it, and to be honest, half of the work stress is gone. You save on the commute, expensive lunches with colleagues you don’t always get along with, and you get to cuddle your do while doing your job.
But it’s hard to stand out when nobody sees you, and that’s exactly what happens when you work from home.
Well, if you relate to that situation, I have 10 brilliant tips for success and ways to get noticed by the higher-ups even while working from your tiny home office.
Powerful Tips For Success To Get Noticed When You WFH
1. Be a proactive communicator
Not sharing an office with the people you work with might require you to take your communication skills to the next level.
I am sure you have a whole entourage of tools at your disposal – be it email, Slack, Zoom, company Whatsapp, or whatever, so make good use of them.
You might need some time to fine-tune yourself into learning what communication calls for what tool (some meetings can be simple emails) but don’t shy away from experimenting. It’s important to find the method that works best for you and results in the most productive collaboration between you and your colleagues.
If over-communication is the way to get there, then go for it – I am sure your colleagues and especially your boss won’t mind. After all, they likely understand that it’s only natural for you to be a bit flimsy while learning the ropes.
2. Jump on video calls
Don’t be afraid to jump on video calls – this is a great way for the people you work with to put a face to your name. It also helps establish more personal contact with you and people perceiving you as a genuine part of the team rather than a ghostly presence.
You should turn on your video every chance you get and urge others to do the same, especially if you have other co-workers working remotely.
If you live in close vicinity of the office or if you can make a trip to go and work there physically every once in a while, by all means, do so. When you make an effort to be more or less physically present in the office, you contribute to the company culture and team spirit, which is definitely something that your boss will appreciate.
3. Organize regular 1-on-1 meetings
If no one else initiated it first, make sure to press on having regular one-on-one meetings with your boss and anyone you might manage.
One-on-one meetings are useful to have as a weekly check-up on the progress of goals, targets, and any blocks either side might be experiencing.
It’s the perfect moment to ask for help and voice any concerns or ideas you might have about the current projects you are working on. It’s also a valuable opportunity to ask for feedback on your performance and take note of any areas you might need to work on.
Make sure you have prepared an agenda before every meeting – it’s senseless to waste people’s time without having a purpose in mind. For added usefulness, you can even share it with the person you are having the meeting with beforehand. This will allow them to also prepare something from their side so you can have an even more productive meeting.
4. Participate in team discussions
Even if you are working from home, your opinions still matter and can be a great asset to any discussion.
Make sure you voice out your thoughts and concerns, as your manager will surely note your participation. You don’t have to go above and beyond and try to lead meetings if it doesn’t come naturally to you – you can simply have a critical mind and offer your unique point of view.
Who knows, your output might just be the thing that cracks a particularly challenging and mindboggling issue. You’ll never know unless you try, which is why I urge you to take the initiative and never skip team discussions.
5. Set working hours
Decide what your regular work hours are going to be and try your best to stick to them. This gives both your colleagues and manager an indicator as to when they can call and talk to you, as well as when you’re available for team meetings or 1-on-1 meetings.
Creating a schedule like that can also make you come across as a reliable and professional worker who can be contacted at certain times throughout the day (or night). This helps your team members build a routine with your habits and integrate you into their own workflow.
In case something changes, as things often do, be sure to update your colleagues in a timely manner so that they can prioritize their tasks accordingly.
6. Socialize with colleagues
One of the top tips for working from home is finding the time to socialize with your colleagues during off-work hours.
Loneliness, isolation, and a sense of disconnect are common companions to the remote worker, even more so if you are extroverted. And while random Slack channels which urge you to talk about your pets and share photos from your vacation might provide some comfort, they definitely aren’t enough to cure your ailings.
Take some time to figure out what kind of activities you like to and can engage in remotely and organize a virtual teambuilding event. Even if talking to people isn’t really your forte, I still suggest giving it a go – making an effort to get close to your colleagues can do wonders for the team mentality, leading to more productive and motivated workdays.
7. Cultivate a big picture view
Because of the dynamics of working from home, you must keep a big picture view at all times. Sometimes you might feel disconnected from your colleagues and workplace, which is why you should develop a way to reel yourself in and realign with the goals and values of the company.
Other days you might not get anything done because your Internet was down or you had to deal with the repairman fixing your washing machine. That’s alright, too – just recalibrate your plans and adapt to the circumstances. It’s important to develop good habits that can aid you in being successful at your job and prevent you from burning out, which is something remote workers are prone to because of the blurred work-life boundaries.
8. Be approachable
Remote workers are easy to fall out of the picture because of their invisible presence in the workforce.
They are the worker who is both there and not there – at least physically. When your colleagues don’t see you in the office every day, it’s only natural that they aren’t as inclined to consult you for ideas, as they can perceive it as difficult to get in touch with you.
This is why you need to make extra effort to establish yourself as an approachable person to whom your colleagues can turn for help. It’s very important to let your colleagues know that they can always talk to you and bounce off ideas, as you are more than ready to participate in any work developments.
This can also make an impression on your manager, as they will see that you are an active member of the workforce who contributes just as much as on-site personnel.
9. Set goals and share your progress
Working remotely is a testament to your self-motivation and drive. It’s important to set realistic goals for yourself and track them intently to ensure you have them on track.
Sometimes it might be difficult to muster that determination from within, which is why it’s perfectly fine to ask a team member or even your manager for some help. If you reach out to your boss, they will see that you are working on something real, which requires additional expertise.
Don’t be afraid to ask others for help just because you are working from home – challenges are present everywhere, even for those working from the office. You never know what side help might come from, and you’ll never know unless you reach out and actively search for it.
10. Dress for success
For some people, one of the benefits of working from home is working in your PJs from the comfort of your bed.
While you might be guilty of this on some of the days, don’t make it a habit. If you carefully read the points above, you should know that one of the success tips when working from home is jumping on a quick Zoom call every now and then. You can’t do that in your pajamas, and you definitely can’t take a call from your boss in bed.
Speaking of your boss – dressing professionally even when working from the comfort of your home is bound to make them notice. You don’t need to go too overboard – just pick up a couple of nice white shirts, make sure you take regular showers, and brush your hair in the morning. Sometimes it’s as simple as that.
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10 Tips For Success When You Work From Home
Blogger, dreamer, procrastinator, and lover of everything soul-touching. My mission is to make you laugh, provoke your thoughts, light up your day and inspire you to fall in love with life and yourself.
