For seventeen of my twenty-three years in corporate America I worked remotely. I always needed a 3 bedroom house – one for me, one for a guest and one for my office. During that time, I won many awards for productivity and never felt isolated or alone.
Given today’s advances in communication technology, the high cost of living close to the office in some cities, and cost-cutting efforts, more and more companies are electing to have employees of specific skill sets work from home. Problems can arise when working remotely – isolation, lower productivity, and poor time management are the most common. Companies that are successful have established specific criteria that fit the unique needs of remote employees to help them stay focused and productive.
When I think back to my time in the field this is what I see as pivotal:
- Clarity – We all knew the company’s mission, vision and values as well as our specific role in the plan.
- Planning – We each presented a quarterly business plan that included our revenue goal, 3 main objectives and the support we needed from the corporate team to achieve it.
- Accountability – A weekly conference call was held with my manager every Friday to report my results as well as the action plan and needed support for the following week.
But truth be told, those three things are just the basics. They support the success of every employee, regardless if they work in the office or in the field.
This was the thing I needed most as a remote employee – camaraderie. The company brought my sales region together quarterly and the entire field sales organization together annually. As a result, I always felt part of a team. I had great friends all over the country and a huge store of knowledge and experience to draw from. There was always a little internal friendly competition that kept us on our toes and at the same time we shared our winning strategies generously.
Plus, that third bedroom as an office is a necessity when you work from home. At the end of a long day it’s important to walk out, close the door and turn your attention to family and friends.
