Starting a new job working remotely, with no first day at the office, no unpredictable commute, and no awkward in-person first meetings with your colleagues just isn’t the same as a physical induction. So how do you measure your success when taking up a new virtual role? Elisa Nardi finds out
Over the past year, virtual working, or at least some form of remote, hybrid working has become the norm for many. Perhaps you’re someone who has started a new job during the pandemic, and have been stuck at home, only meeting new colleagues, waist up via a screen?
With virtual working you may have found new freedoms: the ability to connect from any location, more control over how you spend your time, or better flexibility with childcare arrangements? Like anything new, however, it’s arguably still early days – you may even think of this as a trial period. Is it here to stay? Research such as Slack’s Future Forum suggests it is. Of 4700 knowledge workers surveyed, 72% want to maintain a hybrid remote office working model moving forward. That applies to existing teams but will also extend to most businesses’ onboarding processes. On the other hand, loyalty and retention of remote workers is decreasing, suggesting that how you are managed remotely matters.
Starting any new job can be daunting, and the first 90 days are usually fundamental in helping people adapt and settle in. But, starting a new job working remotely, with no first day at the office, no unpredictable commute, and no awkward in-person first meetings with your colleagues just isn’t the same. You can’t take cues from the office atmosphere, or casual conversations over coffee. You don’t get to witness the wins of a project in person. So how do you measure your success when taking up a new virtual role?
Leave your preconceptions at the door
No job is like any other, and it’s common that if you’ve not worked in a virtual position before, you may be approaching the job with some extra trepidation. What’s important is not to base your outlook on assumptions about what a new role will be like. Step back and as you progress through the first three months, allow your judgements to be made and remade over time.
The first month is a great time for reflective practice and asking lots of questions. It’s easy to want to get stuck straight into action mode, pulling on your experience and raring to prove yourself. But working hard at personal restraint, considering things from multiple perspectives, and employing active listening will serve you better in the long term.
Plus, it’s often said that the first three months of a new job is the time when you can see more of what is really going on in an organisation than at any time that follows. You are not sullied by familiarity or bounded by expectation, fear, or convention. It’s an exciting time and approaching virtual working with fewer preconceptions will help you accept and adapt to new patterns with more ease.
Rethink your approach to communication
Effective communication is essential within any workplace. It ensures goals are clear and aligned; it helps you productively manage your time and builds relationships based on trust and free expression.
But when working remotely, effective communication takes on a whole new meaning. Virtual meetings can be held over video, instant messaging allows teams to stay in constant contact and cloud-sharing provides ways for people to access files immediately. Technology has revolutionised how we share information and ideas, letting us tune in 24/7 and converse with anyone around the world. Communication has certainly been made easier, but this does not guarantee that it has become more effective.
When starting a new role, it’s possible to feel both empowered and overwhelmed by the many channels of communication available to you. Take the time to familiarise yourself with your companies’ communication methods. Whether it’s Slack, Zoom or WhatsApp, they will become the practical tools of your trade. Much like you would be given an office tour or formal induction program, asking for technology-based training or at least regular online advice will help you feel more comfortable and in command of your working day.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, they will help you learn more about your company’s vision, and gauge what is expected of you within your role. It may seem awkward to initially ask questions without the context of casual office conversation but making a point of doing this will set you in good stead later.
And don’t forget you can still use technology to communicate informally. Make an effort to take part in the Zoom yoga class on a Friday morning. Join the informal ‘coffee and cake’ lunchtime chat or make the most of the ‘bring a pet to workday’. These informal chats will really help you get to know your colleagues more personally.
Take time to consider your version of success
Succeeding in a new virtual job also goes hand in hand with finding ample time to consider your own goals. Approach your first ninety days mindfully, allowing yourself the time and space to learn and absorb new experiences.
Journaling is a practical way to approach this (for inspiration see Notebook Mentor: The 1st 90 days in my new job journal). It can help you set goals, relieve stress, inspire creativity, and process your ambitions. Plus, having a physical activity to work through your thoughts will be a welcome break from screens after a long day at the computer.
Over the first three months, making space to regularly check in with yourself allows you to recognise common work patterns, assess how you spend your time and create actionable targets moving forward. This is important because in a virtual role, it is difficult to see the physical fruits of your labour, nor are there colleagues around you to prompt feelings of team accomplishment. This practice can help put your role into a wider perspective, giving you space to recognise your impact and contribution.
Consciously manage relationships with your colleagues
If you’ve never met your team, it can be difficult to feel like you know them. In a virtual role you may have to invest more consciously in building positive and productive relationships with your colleagues. Regularly book time in with your line manager to check your progress and make the effort to chat to your team beyond chasing up the latest report. This might feel forced at first but being proactive in getting to know people from the beginning will help you integrate and get involved.
Beyond the social benefits, this will also help you learn about the structure of the business and understand what company-wide success looks like. Explore your colleagues’ responsibilities, how critical they are in helping you achieve your targets, and how you influence them in achieving theirs.
Prioritise a healthy work-life balance
When working from home, the lines between personal and working life are often blurred.
According to the Office for National Statistics, people who worked from home did 6.0 hours of unpaid overtime on average per week in 2020. And, in another survey from the Mental Health Foundation, more than 40% of employees reported neglecting other areas of their life because of work.
Taking time off is just as imperative to succeeding in your first ninety days in a virtual role as turning up to a vital client meeting. Maintaining a work-life balance doesn’t mean you lack commitment; it protects you from stress and helps you to perform your optimum during working hours.
Creating a routine can help you remain productive without bringing work responsibilities into your down time. Set aside time for regular exercise, starting small with gradual changes and manageable boundaries. Remember, you don’t have to do everything at once, there is no perfect work-life balance. Some days you may need to focus more on work, and other days you may have more energy to dedicate to your favourite hobby or time with loved ones. Balance is achieved over time, not in a day.
Elisa Nardi, is a former Chief People Officer, now executive coach, mentor, author, non-executive director and CEO of Notebook Mentor. With a passion for helping people to become the best versions of themselves at work, Elisa created a range of beautifully crafted, professional development journals designed to help people manage, develop and be happier at work. A graduate in both Psychology and Sociology, with a postgraduate qualification in Executive Mentoring & Coaching, Elisa has more than 30 years’ experience in prominent HR leadership positions for brands such as Ford, Heinz, PepsiCo, Marconi, Virgin Media and Bupa.
