My career in operations and project management has been for the most part, a traditional nine to fiver with a cubicle. With the pandemic came the overnight transition to remote work, before moving to hybrid, then back to in person, and now back to a fully remote position.
What’s the secret sauce to making things work remotely? By respecting everyone’s work rhythms and fostering open communication, I’ve cracked the code to remote productivity. With the right resources and tactics, remote workers can communicate just as effectively as those who work in traditional nine-to-five workplaces.
When I was in-office, I was a hoarder of office supplies, spent time searching for my notebook left in a meeting room, and a daily occurrence was someone bringing my coffee cup I’d left on their desk. I loved the morning chatter waiting for coffee, huddles at desks and big meetings, and the end-of-day goodbyes on the way out of the office.
From time to time, I do miss those full day in person interactions; teenagers are not great early morning co-workers and the cat could care less how often we interact. However, as a remote worker, there are great tricks to promote effective communication across a business environment.
Remote work for us involves using various communication channels like Slack, Google Meet, Teams, Zoom, email, texts, phone calls, Google Docs, Loom, and countless other software applications. It may seem overwhelming at first, but each channel serves a purpose.
My day-to-day involves ensuring that my teams and partners have everything they need to excel. Contrary to popular belief, physical presence in an office is not a requirement for accomplishing this. The key is to use the right software for different types of work, know what makes people tick, have clear processes, and maintain effective written and verbal communication.
Working across four time zones at WS, we’ve found that dedicating one hour each day to meetings has been a game-changer. During that time, we review work progress and the next 24 hours, leaving the remaining time for individual check-ins or scheduled meetings. If additional meetings are needed, we schedule them around the huddle time. This approach allows our staff to have more focused time in their day.
It’s crucial to ensure that everyone actively interacts with and participates in the process. Some people may struggle to speak up in meetings, whether in person or digitally. To make meetings more effective, we develop agendas and goals, adhere to the plan as closely as possible, and send a summary with action items afterward.
One major misconception about working from home is that it’s impossible to establish unified rules for approaching work. At WS, we have some who excel at deep thinking at dawn and others who prefer intensive work at dusk. We take these work styles into account and plan our workflow and milestones accordingly.
Temperature check. Checking in with team members, reviewing priorities, and communicating changes to the entire team are crucial. A mid-morning check-in with one person can set the tone for the day’s expectations and impact what was planned the day before. Always be ready to pivot.
Outside of vacations or time off, knowing when team members are unavailable during the day is critical. We organize various tasks around each other’s time of day, using time blocks on calendars and simple Slack notes like “Stepping out, back in an hour.”
Last but not least, don’t deprive your team of those five minutes by the water cooler. Create a space for everyone to hang out. Whether it’s a quick chat over coffee, a Slack channel for random discussions, or a planned virtual event.
While we do plan for an in-person staff event every year, our team gets together every Wednesday just to be together. Some of the best laughs have come from these moments. Additionally, our social committee organizes fun remote events every few months. The last one was an 80s party. If you’re interested, feel free to ask me for a screenshot.
Although we are a remote company, we travel for business purposes and have pockets of employees who live close. This allows us to have face time with coworkers for lunch, meetings, or attending local events together.
Of course, working remotely comes with its own set of challenges. One major issue is file chaos. It’s important to store work in a well-organized and accessible location. Reminders to file everything and share access to documents should always be top of mind.
Data trails are critical for an effective workflow. At WS, we adhere to stringent workflow principles and use project management software as our primary communication tool. Clear communication in our workflow ranges from visible project task statuses to clear, detailed comments.
Information overload and burnout are constant concerns. In Slack, the green status light indicates activity but not immediate availability. Utilizing status symbols and commenting for awareness is essential. Are there too many rushes? Are things coming in later instead of earlier? While we have a workflow process, it’s important to practice time management skills. Personally, I use calendar blocks to focus on specific needs, Sort’d for emails, a priority matrix for my own needs, and AI in our project management software for automation. There’s nothing more satisfying than scratching things off a list.
With remote work, work-life balance becomes even more important. Working from home means less time spent on daily commutes and more time spent online. However, we are still nine-to-fivers in a virtual world, and it’s crucial to encourage setting a daily routine and delegating work when employees are stretched thin or feeling overwhelmed. A tired brain and body can lead to poor concentration and communication.
Establishing a clear strategy for sharing and discussing work is critical for balancing communication and productivity. Each company will have its own approach. At WS, we generally do all work in our project management software, handle quick questions in Slack, and reserve video calls for longer, more structured discussions.
So, whether you’re a WFH pro or just diving in, remember: adaptability, clear processes, and a sprinkle of virtual fun can turn any remote setup into a success story.
Feel like something is not working? Change it. Ask for and provide specific feedback, brainstorm solutions with the team, and experiment. Remote work is still pretty new to a lot of people, and there are really no ironclad formulas for how to do it right. So, focus on doing what’s suitable for your company and your team.
Connect with us to leverage the skills and knowledge Katrina and the rest of the WS team offer for the marketing success of your project.
Katrina’s education and professional experience in full service agencies gave her a deep understanding of marketing for various industries from agriculture to telecom. She is also actively involved in the community and public education system as a parent advocate in the School Community Councils. Connect with Katrina on LinkedIn.
