So, you have got the job? Congratulations! Starting a new job, in general, is a nerve-wracking time as you are about to begin a new chapter in your life. You will be exposed to new people, environments, daily activities, etc. But now with a pandemic happening and you starting your new job from the comfort of your own home, you may feel even more worried. You might be very unsure of what to expect or how to go about starting your new job and building relationships remotely, so here are a few tips for when you begin!

1. Understand your role

Beginning your job remotely means you will need to spend extra time ensuring you understand your role and the expectations that come with it. As you won’t be in an office environment for the time being, you want to make sure the responsibilities you are set are established from the beginning, so you can get on with the work right away! Before you speak to your boss, write down a list of questions you may have regarding tasks or upcoming projects, so you are ready for the weeks ahead. Regarding your role, you also want to ask if there is any required training you need to do and who you can go to for help and additional resources.

2. How do they communicate?

Make sure you take note of how your boss and co-workers like to interact with one another. This may be that the team prefer video calls or phone calls. Or they might prefer emails and instant messaging platforms instead. So, make sure you find out how they like to communicate as early as possible, so you can immediately begin to communicate, spark new relationships and integrate. If you are unsure, ask!

3. Establish relationships

Like you would if you were working in your work environment, make sure you establish a relationship with your manager. Do this by checking in on them and show that you are getting ahead of your work by updating them too. Make sure you also do this with your new team. It is harder establishing relationships remotely, however, there are many ways to show you care in trying to form new relationships with your new co-workers. Do this by sparking conversations privately with your co-workers, introducing yourself, and having a casual conversation as not everything has to be related to your job! If your team uses a specific platform like Slack to communicate with one another informally, make sure you are contributing by showing you are interested in getting to know them and seeing who you share common interests with. This is the easiest part as you can enjoy having normal conversations with co-workers whilst you are working on your project, making your day flow easier and quicker. It will also hugely help you for when you go back into your physical working space as you will already have established relationships, so you won’t be as scared!

4. Ask questions!

If you are set a task or project, make sure you ask questions (valuable questions)! If you require further clarification make sure you reach out to your co-worker that set, you the task to ask the questions you’ve had in mind. The best way to go about doing this is to email your co-worker asking if you can arrange a quick phone call or video call for you to gain a better understanding of the upcoming project. This will also show that you are interested and motivated to do well in the task set up for you and will leave a good first impression amongst your colleagues. It will also help you as you will have a clear plan of what you need to do and make it easier, leading to you finishing the job quicker. But of course, before you ask for a call, try to use your common sense to work it out so that you can relevant and pertinent questions.

5. Create a structure

Make sure you form a structure and clearly set boundaries between working and relaxing. Firstly, you want to speak to your manager and clarify your working hours, so you can plan your day around the hours given. Create a routine for yourself at home to ensure you are productive, make sure you take regular breaks in-between, take an hour break for your lunch and leave your laptop to your side. It might be tempting to work more hours when you first begin your job as you will want to impress your boss and co-workers, but don’t burn yourself out!

6. Your progress

Ask about how you are doing in your first week. Ask for feedback from your manager or co-workers to see how you can improve and most importantly what have you achieved! This will help you to see if you are on the right track but more importantly, it shows that you are open to criticism and willing to learn from your mistakes.

7. Don’t panic!

Although you are starting a new job under these uncertain circumstances, the last thing you want to do is panic. Your colleagues will be aware that you are starting your job remotely and will do all they can to ensure that you are comfortable. Make sure to reach out to them if you are unsure of anything or if you are feeling a little stressed about the whole situation. Also, confide in those around you including friends and family for advice if you are feeling extremely stressed!

Enjoy the new working environment as it will be your new normal for the time being. Just remember, everyone is in the same boat and you are all working together to make sure you add value to the organisation. Work to support one another and still enjoy the working experience at the same time. Good luck!

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/biancamillercole/2020/06/16/7-tips-when-starting-your-new-remote-job/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=career&cid=5e74cbcffc818275ea232b90#60ecb4dc7d4a