Harvard Business Review - HBR Guide to Remote Work

Youre likely working remotely more than you used tomaybe a lot more. Were all seeking greater flexibility to balance our jobs and personal lives. Technology has made it easier to meet deadlines and connect outside the office. And companies are realizing, due partly to the Covid-19 pandemic, that many white-collar jobs can be done from just about anywhere.

But working from home, on the road, or in a coffee shop brings unique challenges. You have to rethink many day-to-day aspects of your job, from how to stay productive at your kitchen table to how to collaborate with colleagues you rarely (or never) see in person. If youre a manager, youre dealing with the pressures of supporting a distributed team. Working remotely can also be hard on your mental and emotional health. Isolation, burnout, and exhaustion are all potential risks, as is stress from differing expectations around when the workday actually ends.

Whether youre just setting up your home office or youve worked remotely for years, this guide will help you do your job effectively and solve the problems that come up along the way. Youll learn how to:

• Make yourself indispensableeven when you arent in the office
• Stay focused despite distractions
• Set boundaries between work and personal time
• Find healthy ways to prevent or deal with burnout
• Balance the demands of parenting and working from home
• Build a collaborative relationship with a virtual boss
• Lead virtual meetings and off-sites effectively
• Be an active, visible participant in video calls
• Help your remote team stay motivated and productive
• Support employees who are struggling to do their jobs remotely
• Resolve conflicts and raise sensitive issues virtually
• Bond with colleagues over a distance

Stand out and thrive as a remote employee.

BY BRUCE TULGAN

Youre only as distracted as you let yourself be.

BY ELIZABETH GRACE SAUNDERS

You need the right digital infrastructure.

BY ALEXANDRA SAMUEL

Tips for doing your job with little distractions underfoot.

BY DAISY DOWLING

Set good boundaries.

BY ELIZABETH GRACE SAUNDERS

Youll need some new routines.

BY ALISON BUCKHOLTZ

Set goals and expectations early on.

BY KEITH FERRAZZI

Stop emailing and pick up the phone.

BY AMY GALLO

Talk about your successes (without bragging).

BY ELIZABETH GRACE SAUNDERS

Five ways to get up to speed quickly.

BY ART MARKMAN

If youre on all the time, thats a problem.

BY LAURA M. GIURGE AND VANESSA K. BOHNS

Create purposeful recovery periods.

BY SHAWN ACHOR AND MICHELLE GIELAN

Choose physical over digital whenever you can.

BY ELIZABETH GRACE SAUNDERS

Dont multitask, and take plenty of breaks.

BY LIZ FOSSLIEN AND MOLLIE WEST DUFFY

Focus on relationships, prepare, and lead.

BY PAUL AXTELL

Look at your camera, not your colleagues faces.

BY JOEL SCHWARTZBERG

Embrace silence and use small groups.

BY LIANA KREAMER AND STEVEN G. ROGELBERG

Running one is probably easier than you think.

BY BOB FRISCH, CARY GREENE, AND DAN PRAGER

Listening better will help.

BY SARAH GERSHMAN

What changes (and what doesnt) when people work from home.

BY REBECCA KNIGHT

Think strategically about what your role is.

BY MELISSA RAFFONI

Six strategies can help.

BY SABINA NAWAZ

A framework to help employees stay energized and engaged.

BY LINDSAY McGREGOR AND NEEL DOSHI

Your physical location still matters.

BY ED BATISTA

Show empathy without lowering the bar.