Resources for Success While Working Remote
Remote Work Resources
Remote employees, as well as their supervisors, need access to resources that will allow them to be the most successful with remote work arrangements.
Resources for Employees
Remote Work Foundations (General) - When you unlock the power of remote work, you can ditch your commute, work where you focus best, and spend more time doing things you love, all while advancing your career. In this course, coach Mike Gutman from FlexJobs shows how to use today's cloud-based communication and collaboration tools to get work done from anywhere, while remaining connected to your organization. He reveals how you can create a productive work environment at home or around town by structuring your day correctly and avoiding distractions. He also explains how to build rapport with remote colleagues so you feel like you're part of the team and succeed in your remote career. Watch this course to learn how to work productively, when and where you want, and achieve the freedom and flexibility you need for a more balanced life.
Tips for Working Remotely (General) - Learn how to work remotely and remain connected to your organization. In this course, coach Todd Dewett reveals how you can create a productive work environment at home by structuring your day correctly, dedicating a space to work, and avoiding distractions. Once your workspace is established, he shares best practices for staying in touch with your colocated team. Last, he addresses the most common challenges encountered by remote workers: feeling isolated, navigating office politics from afar, and communicating virtually.
Time Management: Working from Home (General) - Working from home is a wonderful opportunity, but time management can be a challenge. With so many demands on your time and attention, it's a tricky balancing act to stay productive. In this course, bestselling author and productivity expert Dave Crenshaw offers best practices for anyone who works full-time or occasionally from home. Dave begins by showing how to set up a dedicated workspace for maximum productivity, including tips on setting up your computer to ensure you stay focused. Then Dave walks through how to craft your daily schedule for peak productivity and plan meaningful breaks to avoid burnout. He explains how to collaborate with remote coworkers, including how to use virtual meetings productively. Finally, Dave offers advice for working parents and other caregivers who might be balancing professional and personal responsibilities in the home.
Working from Home: Strategies for Success (General) - Get tips for successfully working from home. Learn how to stay focused, effective, and sane while balancing work and life. Melinda Emerson, aka the Small Biz Lady, shares practical advice for making the transition to a remote job smooth. Find out how to set up your office for maximum productivity and how to communicate professionally and empathetically using remote tools such as video chat. Get tips for dynamic scheduling and collaboration, healthy ideas for staying focused, and apps and tools to maximize success. Melinda also coaches you on how to set realistic expectations and goals, so you don't get burned out or overwhelmed. Plus, learn proven strategies for working from home with kids and working from home as a manager.
Digital Body Language (General) - People rely on body language and tone to grasp the real meaning of messages. Without these cues, we misunderstand each other more quickly, argue more, and walk away faster from relationships. In the virtual world—where most business is conducted—it’s even harder to communicate. If you want to build closer relationships with colleagues and clients, digital body language is your solution. Join collaboration expert Erica Dhawan as she explains how to use digital body language to close the empathy gap between you and your team. Learn why it’s important to always assume the best intent in others, and find out how to carefully craft your responses, communicate your feelings, and negotiate delicate power dynamics. With these tips, you can take charge of your communications online and off.
Resources for Supervisors and Managers
Leading at a Distance (Beginner + Intermediate) - Technology has enabled many former office workers to work from home or anywhere remotely. As the overall job landscape shifts, the number of remote workers will likely continue to increase. For the managers and leaders spearheading these remote teams, as well as teams that consist of remote and in-person employees, making the jump from in-person to virtual leadership can be challenging. In this course, instructor Kevin Eikenberry lays out how to lead effectively from a distance. He dives into the basics of remote leadership, such as how working remotely changes interpersonal dynamics. Plus, he shares tips for getting results at a distance—including how to provide remote coaching and feedback—as well as how to build trust, set reasonable boundaries as a long-distance leader, and more.
Managing Virtual Teams (Beginner + Intermediate) - Working remotely has been on the rise for many years now, with research showing that hiring managers expect nearly half of all their workers to be working remotely over the next decade. While many trends feed into this way of organizing work, managing the work effectively will be key to the success of organizations globally. In this course, instructor Phil Gold provides managers with a clear approach for getting the most out of their remote teams. He zeros in on the key factors that will ensure productivity, engagement, and growth, as well as a manager’s role in building trust, removing roadblocks, nurturing connections with team members, and setting clear goals.
Leading Virtual Meetings (Beginner + Intermediate) - Leading virtual meetings is a critical competency for leaders who manage a remote or blended team. Join leadership and management expert Kevin Eikenberry as he identifies the challenges to holding a productive meeting online, and shares tactics for making these meetings successful. Learn about how to choose the right platform, set expectations for conduct, clarify roles, create a great agenda, and more.
Leveraging Virtual and Hybrid Teams for Improved Effectiveness (Intermediate) - In the fast-paced world of remote work, traditional practices won't lead to success. Teams—whether fully virtual or hybrid (remote and on location) are being reinvented—and the good news is physical distance doesn't mean lower performance. Best-selling author and founder of Ferrazzi Greenlight, Keith Ferrazzi, has spent 20+ years coaching high-performing teams and observing what makes them tick. In this course, Keith shares his hard-won knowledge with you, spelling out how to develop agile and resilient virtual teams that genuinely care about each other's success. Discover how to recontract and reboot your teams in our new world of remote work. Learn how to help virtual teams connect emotionally and mentally, as well as feel empowered to share their experiences and perspectives. Plus, get tips for restoring your team's energy through recognition and shared goal achievement, boosting your team's agility, and more.
Managing Remote Teams: Setting Expectations, Behaviors, and Habits (General) - With the number of remote roles continuing to grow, leaders need to know how to support teams from a distance. This course outlines best practices on how to provide employees with the trust, tools, and structure they need to be successful in a virtual environment. Get practical tips from business leaders such as Linda Hill, the Wallace Brett Donham Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School, and former Deloitte CEO Jim Quigley on how to have better (and fewer) meetings and unite talent across a multinational corporation. Plus, learn about the sizable impact that your facial expressions, body language, and voice have on your working relationships; how to transform the way you handle projects using virtual collaboration; and more.
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Keys to Success
Adapted from TIAA's Working Remotely.
If a remote work arrangement has been established, employees may wish to revisit some considerations to ensure they are best supported by the department and prepared for the most suitable remote work conditions.
Be Intentional
Identify a dedicated workplace. You don’t have to have a separate room devoted to work but it may be helpful to have a dedicated workspace that you can think of as where you “go to work”. It is helpful to carve out a distraction-free zone where you can have privacy. It may be helpful to discuss your workspace needs with others who may be sharing your home or living space. Finally, be sure that everyone in your space agrees upon how you may handle privacy, interruptions, and background noise.
Establish routines. Keep a regular schedule and communicate those work hours and availability you’re your supervisor and team. For some people, being disciplined about work also means dressing professionally each day. Take regular breaks and walk away from your computer to stretch, go for a walk, exercise, and eat. Plan these into your schedule.
Prioritize work and share progress. Start the day with a clear plan and set of priorities to help you stay engaged, organized, and productive. Be proactive and confirm priorities with your supervisor and teammates to ensure alignment on expectations. It’s also helpful to check-in regularly to share progress, exchange feedback, and seek/offer support where appropriate.
Be Engaged
Communicate often. Communicate with your supervisor and team. Don’t assume that your colleagues know what you are doing. Work out loud when you can and share progress with your team as you go. You may find it helpful to send your supervisor regular updates. Embrace alternative methods of communication and agree with your team on preferred methods (ex: Microsoft Teams, Zoom, email).
Connect purposefully. Connect with your teammates through “virtual” coffee or lunch so you can remain connected to your colleagues. Leverage virtual platform tools where you can socialize, share pictures, and connect.
Be responsive and available. A lag in communication can create distance in remote work teams. Establish reasonable response times and make an effort to honor it. Leverage calendars and away messages to let your teammates know if you are going to be unavailable for an extended period of time. In virtual meetings, free yourself from distractions and tune into the conversation.
Be Adaptable
Show up well. Assume positive intent and be open to constructive dialogue. Demonstrate kindness and empathy toward your colleagues. Remember that we are all different and everyone has different needs.
Additional Resources
Related PPM Chapters
