Today’s guest blogger is Nicholas Hutchison, our business development intern. Thanks for your help, Nick!
Over the past year and a half at NPAworldwide, I have had the opportunity to work remotely on a few occasions. It is an opportunity to learn about yourself regarding your work style. I am completing my degree this December and I think it is one of the top skills to have as companies are starting to see the benefit of allowing employees to work remotely. According to a study that comes out of Pennsylvania State University, allowing employees to telecommute can offer business and employees ample benefits. The study concludes that by allowing employees to work from home they will have improved job satisfaction, fewer work-family conflicts, and the company will have less business-related expenses. With these benefits and my experience working remotely I have completed a list of six tips for working as a remote employee:
- Pick a strategic work space – Choosing a strategic work space where there will be few interruptions and distractions can be one of the important factors to successfully work remotely. When picking a work space, I think of what I do on a given day and what room/area I don’t use often.
- Create an action plan – List what you plan to accomplish, including a time frame.
- Ensure that you have all the necessary tools – Look over your action plan and make sure you have the correct resources to complete all the tasks, including the ability to collaborate with other employees as needed to ensure success.
- Go over the plan with your supervisor – Once you have completed your action plan, set up a time to meet with your supervisor to go over the plan and provide them a copy to reference your progress.
- Effective communication with your supervisor – Keep an active conversation with your supervisor and update them on whether you are completing all the tasks on time or if it is taking longer than expected. Your supervisor would much rather know and accommodate a late deadline than be blindsided that it isn’t completed on time.
- Monitor your own performance – Keep notes alongside your action plan. These notes should include successes, failures, and things to remember for the next time you have a similar task.
Are you working remotely? What other tips can you offer? Please add a comment below!
