5 Communication Tips for Remote Employees

Lindsay Malcolm
July 16, 2021
Newsletter Article

As more organizations shift towards an office-less culture of work, it is important to understand how to overcome the barriers that exist when communicating with team members while working remotely. In this newsletter article, learn about some of the most common pitfalls when it comes to remote-work and how to sidestep them so you can maintain productivity and efficiency in your career.

Now more than ever, companies all around the world have transitioned to a partial-remote or fully remote working environment. Constantly being out of the office, being separated from co-workers and shifting to working at home with family members around has been a first experience for many. While remote working has its benefits, it certainly comes with challenge: it is more difficult to collaborate with others, communication tools are limited, and written words can be easily misinterpreted when body language and tone of voice are missing from the equation.

When you learn how to overcome the obstacles of the remote working world, you can feel confident about the work that you do. Provide yourself and your team members with a positive, productive remote work experience by implementing these 5 tips into your daily work routine:

Practice Clear, Consistent and Concise Communication

No matter who you're reaching out to, no matter what the reason is for writing the email or sending the message, remember: be clear, consistent, and concise.

Be clear and stick to the facts – this will let people know the purpose of the communication and if it requires their assistance.

Be consistent with when and how you're going to communicate – if it is a short note requiring immediate attention, use instant messaging. If it requires more explanation and documents to be attached, go for an email. People should know what kind of channel you will use to contact them based on the type of communication being sent.

Be concise – get to the point and don't overload your colleagues with unnecessary information. Always remember to include the appropriate context and provide links to related information if needed.

By following this communication method as a remote employee, you will be able to craft messages that resonate with others and quickly tell them what they need to do.

Take a more Visual Approach to Presentations

Presenting in person is no easy feat. However, presenting pitches and ideas online can be even more difficult. Watching a presentation through a screen means it is harder for the audience to feel the energy in the room, listen to the confidence in the presenter’s voice or feel the impact of others around them; all contributing factors to an in-person presentation. To successfully deliver a virtual presentation, turn to visual elements to keep viewers engaged and understand what is being presented. Focus on eye catching slides, unique yet simple designs, a strong call to action, simple colors and most importantly: utilize icons and diagrams to your advantage.

Be Proactive – Especially in Communication

Being proactive is thought to be one of the most important skills for remote workers, because it keeps everyone on the same page, ahead of time. It also prevents teammates from becoming overwhelmed since they are aware of what is coming and know what to expect in terms of workload. Proactive communication could be as simple as updating your colleagues or boss on the progress of a project you are working on, or even notifying your team that you will be out of office for the day a week in advance so they have time to plan accordingly.

Assume Good Intentions

Since most communications are written messages or other asynchronous formats in remote working environments, it is easy for people to read more into a message than what is there.

Though things can get lost in translation, it is always best to assume that the sender has good intentions, even if it doesn’t seem like it. If you have a pre-meditated perspective where you think others’ intentions are deceitful or wrongful, you are more likely to misinterpret the meaning or intention behind someone’s words. In turn, this increases the chances of you reacting negatively to a situation that just needed a little more time and understanding.

Leave Room for Small Talk – Say Good Morning!

Transitioning to a remote work environment presents many challenges for everyone involved, but perhaps the most apparent challenge exists within the lack of human interaction and day to day structure. It is increasingly important to make time to engage, connect and chat with your colleagues. Even if it is a quick 5-minute video call or everyone sending a good morning message in a group chat – it will allow things to feel a little less remote than they actually are.

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