Climbing the corporate ladder while working remotely

Since the Covid-19 pandemic took over our lives the term working remotely has become common in our daily lexicon.

Almost every country in the world has had some level of lockdown in the effort to flatten the curve of the pandemic.

South Africa has been one of the hardest hit countries and started 2021 on level 3 lockdown – amended yes but still a level 3, which is just two levels from a complete shutdown.

This has been necessitated by the second wave of the pandemic in our country.

While this is a reality, the corporate world still beckons. This begs the question; how does one set themselves apart and even get a promotion while working remotely.

Are employers even looking at promoting workers? Ofcourse. This is the time to set yourself apart from the rest especially because companies are retrenching.

You do not want to be first in line because you are always late for a Zoom meeting.

Keep these in mind as you navigate the home office and be accountable always.

• Check-in with your team or friends in the morning. Don't mistake this for a daily stand-up; this is more like saying hi when you're getting coffee.

• Keep people posted if you are leaving early or unavailable. It helps build trust.

• Invest in a headset if you will be doing a lot of calls. If there is more than one person in your household that is working remotely, they will thank you for this. It is no fun listening to somebody else's conference call.

• Turn on your video when on a video call to help you feel connected and stay engaged. When your video is disabled, it is easy to wander off and get distracted.

• Set up a weekly, casual remote chat. This is important to keep staff connected. It also helps employees talk home with colleagues as much as they talk shop with family. This can be on a Friday morning and topics can range from parenting challenges, i.e, home schooling to why the government always stops the sale of alcohol ;)

• Sign-off at the end of the day. This means both letting your team members know you are leaving and actually walking away from where you are working. Close the laptop. Turn off all notifications.

Remember:

1. Excel at Your Job. Excellence is not a skill, it’s an attitude. —Ralph Marston

2. Show and Tell. You get whatever accomplishment you are willing to declare. —Georgia O’Keeffe

3. Build Connections. Effective networking isn’t a result of luck—it requires hard work and persistence.

4. Final Thoughts. Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there. —Bo Jackson