Over the past year and a half, a large percentage of the workforce had their traditional “9 to 5” routines interrupted, changed, or altogether restructured in response to the pandemic. The idea of “working from home” went from a fantasy enjoyed by few to an overnight reality for the masses. While some loathed the idea of taking countless meetings in pajama bottoms, many of us learned that working from home provided a sense of control during a time that has been characterized by chaos. Now, businesses are reopening. However, the door to remote work has been left open and countless experts believe that the flexible practice is here to stay. Even still, remote work is not for everyone, and employers know this. (Hence the arguments by many companies to force fully capable employees back into the office). Employers seem to be fearful and believe that some employees simply do not possess the necessary characteristics needed to be a successful remote employee. What distinguishes one employee from the next in regards to remote work? What skills or characteristics are employers seeking when deciding on whether or not to extend a work from home offer? I’ve compiled a list of the 9 most common traits employers look for in their remote employees.
1. Professionalism
Whether the work is being performed at the office, at a conference, or in the living room, employers want to rest assured that the company will be well represented at all times. The ideal remote employee will exude professionalism. Professionalism is more than just showing up on time and getting the work done. You will want to make sure that you are putting your best foot forward in all aspects of your work including in the areas of presentation, email writing, telephone skills, and promptness. Great communication and interpersonal skills are a must.
Instant red flags: Virtual Meeting backgrounds, language
2. Dependability
With the freedom of working from the comfort of your own home comes the great responsibility of being dependable. Dependability is really a blanket term for remaining productive, honest, and responsive to your employer and coworkers.
Being a dependable employee means staying in touch with your employer and coworkers, setting and meeting deadlines, and being available during work hours. It also means that during work hours, you are actively engaged in the work.
Instant red flags: posting on social media during work hours, failure to respond to emails/ phone calls in a timely manner
3. Strong Communication
Effective remote employees understand the importance of communicating efficiently with both coworkers and clients. Feeling under the weather? Have too much on your plate? Struggling to meet deadlines? These are all perfect examples of items that need to be communicated in addition to the typical work correspondence. Keeping everyone in the loop will ensure that progress is ever moving and that productivity remains high.
Instant red flags: Inconsistent check ins, Subpar project completion
4. Resourcefulness
Remote work requires that you understand how to solve problems on your own. This means having the ability to research issues and figure out creative solutions to common problems. Sure, some decisions will need to go through your supervisor before being decided upon but without the wealth of tools available at the office, you will be forced to think on your feet and do your best with what you’re given.
There will be issues that can be resolved using a little research and some creative problem-solving skills.
Employers get that things happen. They don’t expect you to be perfect. What they do expect is that we possess the skills to think quickly on our feet and solve the thousands of small problems that arise so that they can help us focus on the big ones.
5. Flexibility
Flexibility may be one of the most important aspects of remote working. There will undoubtedly be times when tasks must be completed on the fly. If your job has a hybrid work model, duties may change depending on where the work is taking place. Working outside of the office will require you to bend. Many flock to remote work for the flexibility that it provides them not realizing that flexibility will be required of them as well. Ad hoc meetings, daily check-ins, and nontraditional work hours are all situations that are likely to test the flexibility of the remote worker.
Instant red flags: Rigidity; Reluctance to adapt, inability to manage change
6. Self-Motivation
While leaving the office on a permanent or semi-permanent basis is ideal for many, a lot of remote workers find themselves missing the companionship and mentality that the traditional office environment can bring. Working from home often means working alone, so the motivation that comes from team parties, water cooler conversations, and afternoon breaks to the nearest café are nonexistent.
Self-motivation is a marathon, not a race. It’s one of those things that will take time and perhaps a little practice.
Because we are at home, we will not always have coworkers or supervisors around to keep us on task when the allure of daytime television comes calling or redirect our attention away from the latest must-read celebrity gossip article posted online.
Employers look for people they do not have to babysit. That goes double when the remote factor is added. They want to know that we are doers, that we are creative thinkers, that we are the kind of people that are self-motivated and produce high-quality work despite the environment.
7. Tech Savvy
Tech savviness is a must-have if you are going to pursue remote work. While required levels of computer literacy may vary from job to job, you are going to be expected to be comfortable in front of a computer. The good thing is that most of us know more than we think we do when it comes to computers and various programs. And for the things you don’t know…you can always attend Youtube university. Google and YouTube along with a good understanding of the company’s platforms can take most remote workers very far. You can easily learn how to analyze data, organize sheets, create PowerPoints, and so much more. If you are thinking about remote working, it’s a good idea to start familiarizing yourself with common platforms such as Microsoft Office suite, Google platforms, etc. This will go a long way in preparing you for your dream remote job.
8. Organization
Working from home means that we don’t have anyone coming into our office. There is no mad dash to tidy the cubicle or office space before the district manager stops by. Evenso, there has to be a method to your madness that doesn’t take a lot of time to figure out. Organization is going to mean different things to different personality types.
Even if you’re one of those employees that thrive in chaos, it is absolutely pertinent that you get into the habit of creating a reliable system for maintaining timekeeping, note-taking, and managing emails and projects.
Being organized will help us look our best and avoid missed meetings or those awkward 4-5 minutes on a Zoom calls frantically searching for an important piece of information.
Instant red flags: Constant tardiness; inability to locate important documents
9. Collaboration
The ability to play nice with others and foster a team-building atmosphere is a major asset to those wanting to work from home. Whether it is working with a team to complete projects, please customers, or meet daily quotas, being able to collaborate while working from home showcases a dedication to the overall work which can cement your place in the remote workforce for years to come.
Instant red flags: lack of creativity; inability to consider the ideas of others
The Wrap Up
Working remotely has come and gone for many, but some of us refuse to trade in our sweat pants for suits anytime soon. Because of this, we find ourselves more than willing to make adjustments and sharpen the skills necessary to continue working from home.
Some of these skills are a walk in the park to master while others take a lot more practice. Which skills do you have down? Which ones are you struggling with? Comment below to get in on the workplace convo!
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