The remote vs. on-site work battle rages on. If you’ve succeeded in resisting your company’s calls to return full-time to the office so far, well done! But before you get too comfortable, remember that many managers are under immense pressure to get staff back on-site in the name of productivity. So, if you want to remain on the winning side of the flexibility battle, you’ll need to do everything you can to keep your manager onside…
Happily, the Wall Street Journal has shared some great advice on the subject, which we summarise for you below:
– You’ll need to frequently remind your boss that you’re working hard, regardless of your physical location. He/she needs to know where you are and what you’re working on for trust and confidence to flourish… So organise regular update meetings to run through the week’s tasks and deadlines, share your calendar and send regular email updates.
– Copy your teammates on your completed reports and projects so they, as well as your boss, know that you’re completing your work on time, every time.
– Tune into how much control your boss likes to have. If they’re a micro manager, send them regular emails about the tasks you’re working on throughout the day. Message them when you’re going to be offline for half an hour to explain why and how you’ll make the time up. For less controlling managers, find out how frequently they’d like to hear from you and how much detail they’d like you to provide. You may initially need to go into all the nuts and bolts but, once trust is established, you can ease off.
– Being consistent with the timing of your email updates can also be helpful. Consider setting up scheduled email updates to be delivered at a time of your boss’s choice. Deliver consistently.
– Another way to keep your manager up-to-date on how you’re progressing with your projects is to create a shared spreadsheet where you note your progress against each project. Tick off each column as you transition from initial research to project development and implementation, through to drafting the conclusion and executive summary, for example.
– In short, by regularly and consistently updating your boss on your progress, you provide them with the reassurance they need for trust to flourish…. and continued flexible working to be your prize.
If your attempts to convince your boss of your fantastic remote work productivity fall on deaf ears, it may be time to consider moving on. To get a feel for the current remote job market and to connect with high-quality openings – remote, hybrid and on-site – at great companies, ABL Recruitment has all the answers. Please get in touch at info@ablrecruitment.com or on 020 7092 3911 to brainstorm the options today!
