Your ultimate guide to working from home if you don’t plan to return to an office. Like ever.
Our work environments drastically changed when the pandemic started. Commutes and cubicles disappeared. Our couches, kitchens, and (dare we say) beds became our new conference call centers. But even after a year and a half since stay-at-home orders were announced, millions of us are still working remotely.
There’s no denying this is our new reality. Over 73 percent of employees want flexible and remote work options to stay in place, according to a report conducted using Microsoft and LinkedIn data. And employers must adapt their policies to keep top talent — over 40 percent of the global workforce is considering leaving jobs that don’t provide flexible work options.
“In the past, companies operated from a one-size fits all mentality. People were expected to commute to the organization, converge in physical spaces with their peers, go home and do it all over again five days a week,” says Neha Kumar, COO and CFO of Create & Cultivate, the inspirational digital platform and conference for ambitious and career-driven women. “What we are noticing is that companies are embracing the fact that one size doesn’t fit all.”
We asked Kumar to weigh in on what the future of remote work looks like, tips for staying productive (and sane) while working from home, and ways to stand out on virtual interviews in our new remote work reality.
Benefits of Remote Work
Allowing employees to “work from wherever” is a relief to those who prefer flexible work options, but it also benefits companies (and even our environmental footprint). By shrinking real estate investments, companies save money. The reduction of travel and (therefore) carbon emissions is also incredibly beneficial to the environment. And with the freedom to structure our days the way we want to, remote employees’ mental health can thrive, Kumar explains.
Not to mention: for those who dreaded putting on uncomfortable work clothes every morning pre-pandemic, the new norm is to embrace a more casual workwear look (whether you’re an assistant or CEO).
But it’s still important to keep your look polished and professional if you’re on external client-facing calls. “Just like in real life, the non-verbal queues are just as important. You need to comb your hair, dress appropriately, and not have palm trees swaying in your virtual background,” says Kumar. But, she says, if it’s a Friday and it’s an internal team meeting, athleisure is acceptable attire.
How to Stay Focused (and Sane) While Working Remotely
Between babbling toddlers, barking dogs, and chatty roommates, there are undoubtedly a new set of distractions to manage in order to stay productive at home.
Luckily, there are effective ways to manage the transition to a full-time remote work position. “If I know that I have a few important calls throughout the week, I proactively plan my kids’ schedules so they are engaged in an activity that will not impact my ability to focus,” Kumar says. “It sounds basic enough, but we didn’t need to think about this as much when we were in a separate space outside of our home.”
For those who struggle to draw the line between work and home life since our computers are near us 24/7, try setting boundaries with your team — like not answering emails after a certain time of night or taking calls before the sun rises.
“If you need to send an email after 6 p.m., stop and ask yourself, ‘Is this something I need to know right now or can I know in the morning?’ That way, it doesn’t compel the other person to have to respond to you. Also, if people are taking time off, don’t CC them on all emails — you don’t need them coming back to an inbox of 400 emails,” Kumar says.
How to Find and Land Remote Work
Instead of filtering your exact location on popular job search sites like LinkedIn or Indeed, choose “remote” as your location. (Over 2,800 remote jobs are posted on Indeed right now).
And with in-person interviews unlikely for many new positions, it’s more critical than ever to tidy up your social profiles. From your LinkedIn page to your Twitter bio to your portfolio website, your “personal brand” messaging should be cohesive and consistent across all touchpoints.
“You don’t have the strong handshakes, the impression of the fancy suit, or the high-end resume paper,” says Kumar. “So, how do you differentiate yourself in this virtual world? How do you make your social profile come alive? It becomes more paramount now when your brand is driven by your digital identity, and not just your personal identity.”
But Will Remote Work Last?
If you asked 99.9 percent of people if they thought they’d be working from home for a year and a half (or forever) before Covid began, you’d probably get a lot of scratching of heads and no ways. But the one constant in life is change — and as we learned since the pandemic began, anything is possible.
“As these new norms get cemented, we still need to be able to shift. We have to be open to continually adapt,” says Kumar. “Expect that change is going to keep occuring.”
