Editor’s note: Kara Goldin is founder/CEO of Hint Inc., a producer of unsweetened flavored waters. This is an edited version of a post that originally appeared here under the title “5 steps to being a rockstar while working remotely.”
More Americans than ever are working remotely at least one day a week according to the 2013 Census Bureau report.
About 13.4 million people or 9.4 percent of U.S. workers worked at least one day at home per week in 2010, compared with 9.2 million people, or 7 percent of U.S. workers in 1997.
In terms of productivity and morale, that’s great for the U.S. Up to three-fourths of my team at Hint works remotely in sales and field marketing. Working off-site does mean that you need to make sure your manager and CEO know how you are adding value to the company as it may not be as immediately apparent as people who sit at headquarters every day. Follow these five tips to have the best of both working worlds:
1. Check in daily. Communication is critical when you’re working out of the office but you need to make sure you’re not being annoying. At least once a day, touch base with your manager, whether it’s over the phone or via e-mail so your boss knows what you’re up to. This is a great opportunity to share your wins.
2. Connect widely. You should also regularly engage with coworkers in other locations. Be generous with your contacts and leads and they’ll return the favor. One of the most effective ways to connect with coworkers you may not see face-to-face regularly is to solicit advice. If you run into a particular barrier, ask around for tips on how others have dealt with a similar issue. From a CEO’s perspective, this means you have more advocates throughout the company. Reaching out also underscores that even though you’re working from home you’re still adding value to the team and thinking of the company first.
3. Schedule a weekly meeting. If you don’t already have a weekly status check-in with your manager, ask for one. This will allow you to share your progress, ideas and successes regularly.
4. Be uber-prepared. It’s not enough to schedule a daily and weekly check-ins. You have to show up and sound knowledgeable, too. Bring all the materials you might need – and more. If you’re on a call or a meeting, the worst thing you can do is say, “I don’t have it in front of me” or “I don’t have that information.” That’s not the best impression to make in front of the people who are in charge of your compensation and career. Instead, bring talking points so you can succinctly discuss what you’re working on, your big successes of the week and anecdotes that show how you’re working through any problems you’ve encountered since the last call. And always bring one or two smart, strategic questions for the team to show that you’re partnering with people in other company locations.
5. Make it personal. You’re not a robot and there’s more to you than your work persona. Find something innocuous to bond over – like sports, craft beer or your latest favorite workout – and create informal relationships with other members of team. This will help you not only enjoy your coworkers but will also ensure that you’ll have people going up to bat for you down the line.