The happy worklife in remote times

One key source of happiness for those in the workforce is job satisfaction, often heavily dependent upon the social aspects of the office environment, a sense of purpose and value, and the opportunity for advancement. In a pandemic-ravaged culture where many have had to work remotely from home for an extended period, such elements of contentment might be difficult to come by.

In a matter of weeks after the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 pandemic last March, more than 16 million “knowledge workers” — those high-level workers who essentially think for a living, among them financial analysts, accountants, computer technologists, lawyers, engineers, and journalists — had already transitioned to remote work as lockdowns fell into place across the United States, according to Slack, a collaborative hub platform provider for businesses.

Gallup reports that whereas a high of 51 percent of workers last April reported they were “always” working remotely, that figure had dropped to 33 percent by late September. Twenty-five percent say they now “sometimes” work remotely, while just 42 percent “never” work remotely. But by November those numbers began to shift back toward April levels as the pandemic began to worsen again throughout the country.

Companies and workers alike are adjusting to this “new normal” and getting better at it. Even before the pandemic, 80 percent of employees wanted to work from home at least part of the time, according to Kate Lister, president of Global Workplace Dynamics. What’s more, managers and executives are shedding their previous fears about a remote workforce as they shift from a time clock to managing by results — especially since many managers had to work remotely themselves.

“The genie is out of the bottle,” Lister said, “and it’s not likely to go back in.”

Whereas initially there was a lot of enthusiasm for maintaining the typical schedules and “culture of meetings” common in office environments through Zoom and other videoconference platforms, that’s taken a toll on workers to the point that some employers are scaling it back, reports the Wall Street Journal. That’s one of many signs of managers’ awareness of and sensitivity to the need to flex a bit in order to keep their staff happy as they continue to work and collaborate from a distance.

But what of the career-minded and their hopes of advancement? Being a remote worker presents additional challenges, but the basic principles remain the same. Here are a few bits of advice offered by experts in the field that managers might pass along to their more ambitious employees:

Enhance your skill set. Use the limitations of staying at home to your advantage. Stay up to date on trends in your area, and perhaps take an online certification course to advance your job knowledge. “Otherwise, you stagnate or get left in the dust compared to your colleagues,” write Eric Schad of virtualvocations.com.

Maintain excellence. Working on the phone doesn’t mean phoning it in. Set high standards for your work and hit them consistently. Remember, with remote work you’ll be “managed by results” even more so, advises the workplace consultants at Kelly Services.

Be visible. Woody Allen said that 80 percent of success is showing up. So, show up. Be a prepared and active participant in those Zoom or Skype meetings. Exude enthusiasm and passion for your work. Don’t neglect “water cooler” shop talk and company networking beyond the workday. And given the moment, speak up: tell your supervisor you would like to move up in the firm and ask what you can do to facilitate that, suggests Paul Phillips, talent acquisition head at the IT consulting firm Avanade.

That goes double for women. One recent study shows that only 29 percent of women say remote work during the pandemic has positively affected their career compared to 57 percent of men. Another shows that women are judged more harshly than men for promoting themselves in the workplace, which makes them reluctant to do so. But women must “lean in” even more to advance. Kathryn Heath of FlynnHeathHolt Leadership tells her female clients to stand out at Zoom sessions by preparing strong viewpoints and assertive statements, like “Here’s my plan….”

Show initiative. “Volunteer for cross-functional teams or special projects that can be led virtually,” advises Wayne Turmel of the Remote Leadership Institute. “Make yourself available for projects that you might not be tapped for because you are remote — and then participate via phone, Skype, or other online mediums.”

In other words: make working remotely your ally not only in seeking advancement, but in overall job happiness.