Template: Remote Work Guidelines
As of [insert date] we will be enacting our new Remote Work Policy! Below are some general guidelines and tips to keep in mind while we embrace this new journey together.
Consider the time difference! Do your best to make sure that meetings are happening within working hours (9am-5pm) for everyone on the team. Check out more on scheduling protocol here. If you are scheduling outside of work hours or over a lunch break, be sure to check in first before making a calendar request.
Add Zoom links to every meeting. Get in the habit of adding a zoom invite to every single meeting you create whether you think you’ll need it or not. It’s uncomfortable and tiring for a remote employee to frequently have to make the “Can you add a zoom link?” ask prior to the meeting (having to set this up last second can also take valuable time away from the meeting itself.) Familiarize yourself with all of our Remote Meeting Etiquette.
Commit ourselves. If we find ourselves just making exceptions for remote culture, rather than embrace it wholeheartedly, it won’t work. Falling out of our routines and the normalcy that work provides can be damaging to our well-being. Committing to doing the best that we can to adhere to these new dynamics, and trying to make feel as normal as possible, will help all of us get through this complicated transition.
Be inclusive and mindful. Remember that remote teams don't have certain luxuries that we may take for granted. Opportunities to partake in things like “water-cooler” talk, impromptu drop-by's, hanging out on the couches, etc. Over-communicate and keep inclusivity top of mind.
Prioritize human interaction. How can we get creative and ensure our remote teammates have similar experiences and aren’t experience isolation-syndrome? Utilize these Mental Health Resources to practice staying sane while staying home. Schedule regular non-work related check-ins in the form of coffee-hangs. It’s important not to lose sight of our community and stay connected to one another.
Be open to suggestions as we continue to grow! We’re going to have to adjust some areas of our workflow that we may have built long standing habits around. Regularly check in with your teammates for their feedback about inclusion, dynamics, scheduling etc. Be open to new ideas and suggestions, even if it requires change on your end. We’re all going through this journey together!
Over-communicate and assert yourself when need be. A way to compensate for the lack of context in remote communication is to be more forward and open than you normally would. Working with someone in an office makes it easier to pick up on their mood and know when they need some time alone. For example, when you work remotely, you may bug people by chatting with them when they're not in the mood or are busy—it's unavoidable. Being respectful of others is just harder when you have less information to inform your decisions, so it’s important that both sides be honest and understanding with each other, acknowledge one other, and follow up appropriately. Check out these Communication Guidelines to practice expressing yourself via chat.