Remote Workers Feeling Left Out? Check out Ep. 3

Working from home can be an amazing experience that offers a whole host of perks from flexibility to enhanced work/life balance. But it can also be lonely. Hours, days, even weeks without seeing another coworker can make a person feel left out.

In Episode 03: Siberia, Checking In, Linda is struggling as a remote worker. Her Manager, Roger, shows up late to meetings and doesn’t have a regular meeting schedule.

Linda realizes it’s time to speak up about her feelings of isolation as a remote worker. Together, she and Roger work out a system that ensures Linda doesn’t feel left out anymore.

Behind Episode 3

In a recent Harvard Business Review article on the pros and cons of remote work, they write,

“We polled 1,153 employees, and 52% said they work, at least some of the time, from their home office. And when they do, many feel their colleagues don’t treat them equally. Remote employees are more likely to report feeling that colleagues mistreat them and leave them out. Specifically, they worry that coworkers say bad things behind their backs, make changes to projects without telling them in advance, lobby against them, and don’t fight for their priorities.” 

The article goes on to address the difficulty of tackling workplace politics from a distance. It makes sense. How can someone share their side of the story if they’re not being included in the conversation.

The good news is many of these issues stem from lack of communication. And how do you fix a lack of communication? 

By opening up the lines of communication, of course.

The Key Takeaway

There are a few ways to ensure remote workers feel included in the workplace even if they never go into the office. How about having a set weekly check in? At Habitly, our team is spread out across the world. To bring us all together, we do a regular team meeting on Mondays. It’s a chance to share our progress, connect, and remember what we’re working toward. Regular check-ins are an important ritual for any team and can be the oil that keeps the work engine running smoothly.

That’s one of the primary lessons in Episode 3. Subscribers can watch it now to see all of the best practices, share them with your team, and take action to maximize your productivity.

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