About 80% of employees view the option to work remotely as a job perk. That being said, it often takes a certain degree of adjustment to transition from a full-time office job to a full time remote office job, especially if your employer has a strict set of rules all employees must follow as telecommuters. When all is said and done, you’ll learn some harsh truths about telecommuting, but learning how to balance them properly can help you achieve long-term career success. Here are just a few fundamental truths about working remotely and how to handle them.
Your employer may have different expectations in regards to your daily (or weekly) productivity.
In a study of more than 1,000 professionals, 65% said that they allow employees to work remotely. As mentioned, many have a specific set of rules employees need to follow to gain –and retain — eligibility. With that in mind, it’s important for you to have a solid understanding regarding what exactly is expected of you on a daily or weekly basis. This means that before you even start telecommuting, you should know how often you need to check in, whether you have to be available during work hours, how often you’re allowed to take breaks, etc. If you don’t have a grasp of these rules, you may not be ready to start working remotely.
You may feel more stressed if you don’t have a designated work space.
Being able to work from just about anywhere with an Internet connection sounds great, and it can be, but many people get stuck in the trap of not separating their leisure space with their work space. It may sound cool to work from your living room couch, but when it comes time to clock out for the day, you may find that there’s a dark cloud of work stress looming over your head later that evening when you’re just trying to enjoy your Seinfeld reruns. Avoid this by designating one room or area of your home to work or getting an office rental — and forbid yourself from clocking in from anywhere else.
These tips can help your productivity soar when transitioning to a telecommuting position. For more information about virtual office rentals, contact Stat International.
