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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