Working from home can be a dream come true, but it can also make your employer question how hard you’re working. Staying visible can keep your boss from micromanaging you, but it can also help show your boss that you’re a great self-starter and worthy of more responsibility. According to an article on Forbes, you’re more likely to raise your profile and get tapped for better opportunities if you are visible and top of mind.
Ways to Stay Visible When Working From Home
Don’t let your hard work go unnoticed because you’re not in the office. Try these tips to stay visible when working from home:
1. Schedule Virtual Face-to-Face Meetings
In the office, it’s easy to walk into your boss’s office to ask questions or show them what you’re working on. That can be a little harder when working from home. Approximately 55% of your message is communicated through body language and tone of voice, things you can’t rely on when sending an email or text. Ask for virtual face-to-face meetings regularly when you want to talk with your boss so you can both communicate effectively.
2. Dress for Work
You wouldn’t show up to the office in yoga pants or pajamas, so don’t show up to a virtual meeting dressed that way. Dressing in professional attire is not only important for video chats; it can help build your self-esteem, keep you focused on work during work hours, and, just in case there’s an impromptu video call, you’re ready.
3. Speak Up
It can feel easy to sit back and listen during an office video chat meeting, but speaking up and contributing to the discussion, just as you would in person, will help you to stay visible to your boss and your other colleagues. Even though you’re working alone in your home office, it’s essential to feel like you’re part of a team.
4. Reach Out to Colleagues
Schedule one-on-one video calls for times you would typically spend sitting in each other’s offices. Reach out to your coworkers and ask what they might need. Take the initiative and be proactive when possible. If a new policy, procedure, or activity was discussed in a meeting, offer to take on the planning. Getting involved is a great way to stay visible.
5. Email Your Manager a Weekly Recap
At the end of each week, send your manager a recap of the work that you accomplished during the week. Projects you took on, client meetings you had, and any other work-related tasks you handled during the week. Your boss will have a hard time saying that you’re not doing enough if they always know what you’re doing.
It can take a bit of work and effort to stay visible to your employer when working from home, but it’s sometimes necessary. Staying visible will build your employer’s confidence in the quality of work you’re doing.
I Am Here To Help
If you find yourself in a situation where you need career advice and want to talk about navigating it and planning for your future, reach out to me, Rachel Schneider with Career Find for a free Intro Call. I would love to speak with you to determine if I can help you accomplish your goals.