Most of us have worked together in an office environment and then we switched to working remotely. But as time progresses, people will change jobs. New college graduates will start their first jobs. And it's very likely that these jobs will be truly remote. Starting a new job in the office itself is quite challenging. But it is even more daunting when it's entirely remote.
Early days of a first remote job feel very lonely and unproductive.
Primary reasons for this is -
You don't know your team and they don't know you.
Remote makes the above very hard. So it is difficult for you to get things done in such an environment. But there are some small things you can do to make this easier.
Here is how -
1. Keep video on during meetings
It's the closest to meeting your team in the office in the early days. So your team can attach a face to your name and won't refer to you as - "that new guy/girl "
2. Setup 1:1 with everyone relevant to your work
Take time to get introduced with everyone in your team and stakeholders. Take notes of who they are, where they are from, what they like and their roles in your work.
3. Share your progress everyday
It is very important to be proactive and communicate your progress in the early days. This way, if you are not making progress, others will know and can help.
4. Block your hours in calendar
The main advantage of remote jobs is the time flexibility it offers. But it can make collaboration very hard with your team. So mark hours in your calendar when you are out for lunch, dog walk or taking care of kids etc. This way, the team will get to know why you are not responding or when to reach you out. It also drops hints to the team about your life and gives them ice-breaker topics.
Remember that you will have to be proactive and do these things.
