Demonstrate your worth remotely with these 10 simple tips!

As millennials, many of us have opted to work remotely with flexible working arrangements. A work arrangement which was previously labelled unconventional and lazy is now a growing trend amongst the new generation. And the work from home situation due to the pandemic has further popularized the idea of a flexible workplace. However, many of us who are currently working from home often question our productivity and value. If you also feel the constant need to prove your visibility and hard work to your company, read further to gather some tips on how to demonstrate your worth remotely. 

Remote work or telecommuting has witnessed an increase over the past few years. In fact, prior to the pandemic, several surveys prove the remarkable rise in the number of remote workers. A study conducted by American Express back in 2011 concluded that employees who worked from home were 43 percent more productive from their peers working in the office. Not only are we seeing a rise in remote workers, but we are also noticing the benefits of working from home in terms of productivity. This is why telecommuting has been labelled as the future of work. 

With work from home becoming the new normal during the pandemic, many of us have adopted the idea of a flexible workplace. Nevertheless, the popularity of telecommuting is not without its drawbacks. Due to the lack of face-to-face interactions and the stigmas associated with working from home, you may often wonder how to demonstrate your worth remotely. It can be tiring to constantly want to prove your productivity and value to your company as a remote worker. At times, you may feel stuck in a loop of desperately wanting to demonstrate your worth remotely, but with a few tips you can make sure that you and your work is being noticed. 

Keep a record

It may be easy for other people to assume that just because you are working from your kitchen counter, you are not as productive as your co-workers at the office. But by simply keeping a record of all the work you do during working hours, you can demonstrate your worth remotely in an organised manner. This allows you to show a quantitative value for all the hours you are putting in.

A simple way to keep track is by having a Google Sheet uploaded, or using apps like iDoneThis to log your daily work report, both of which can be shared with your supervisors whenever necessary. What you should remember is that in order to demonstrate your work remotely, you must allow your work to speak for itself. 

Communicate and be responsive

A major drawback of working from home is the lack of face-to-face interactions. This means that you should be attentive to your phone, email, and instant messages throughout the day and that when you receive a request from your boss, you must respond as soon as possible. By constantly communicating with your supervisors and co-workers on the projects you are currently working on, you can demonstrate your worth remotely. 

You can utilise collaborative tools like Slack or Stride, which are quite engaging and interactive as compared to an email thread. One of the keys on how to demonstrate your worth remotely is by being responsive and communicating with your co-workers. This keeps you in the loop despite being physically absent. 

Keep an eye on your e-trail

Considering there are no face-to-face conversations when it comes to being a remote worker, you have the opportunity of saving every conversation via emails. Maintaining an e-trail helps in verifying the work that has to be done, and can be used as future reference. Doing so can help you demonstrate your work remotely by keeping an e-tab on the tasks you have to complete. 

Be present over video calls

The pandemic has popularised the use of video chat platforms like Google Meets and Zoom, making it the new virtual office space. One of the easiest ways to demonstrate your worth remotely is by turning your camera on and engaging in conversations with your workers. This helps in compensating for your physical absence as a remote worker. It might be tempting to multitask during such video calls, but contributing to a virtual conversation shows that you are engaged in whatever is happening. 

Ask questions

Maintaining a communication channel with your co-workers and supervisors can be a task when you’re working from home. As a remote worker, it is difficult to replicate the conversations one may have physically in the office. Which is why do not shy away from asking questions when it comes to fulfilling a responsibility. Demanding clarity on a project you’re assigned can ultimately demonstrate your worth remotely. If no one has shared a specific expectation, it’s okay to ask for what they need so that everyone is on the same page. 

Be honest with yourself

As a remote worker, you may end up finding yourself in a situation where you take up more projects in order to prove your visibility. This can also include keeping unattainable deadlines in order to impress your supervisors. But putting unnecessary tasks between you and your key goals is not the best way to demonstrate your worth remotely. 

Best-case scenario, you may get everything done, but it may not be your best work. Worst-case scenario, you won’t be able to finish everything and your boss will begin to question your ability to see projects through. So be realistic with yourself in order to demonstrate your worth remotely. 

Radiate positivity

An unfortunate outcome of working from home during the pandemic is the rise in anti-social behaviour. With the unpredictable nature of the ongoing situation, it is easy to fall in a trap of dejection and isolation. As a remote worker, it is your job to raise the morale of the people around you. Radiate positivity and demonstrate your worth remotely by spreading happiness. This may sound cheesy, but a positive attitude can help you assert your value at the company you work for. 

Be punctual and adaptable

Punctuality matters! Meeting deadlines, being on time for online meetings and managing your timelines ups your value and demonstrates your worth remotely. If you’re in doubt about whether you’ll meet a deadline, just be transparent and open with your manager. 

Simultaneously, learn how to maintain your flexibility and be adaptable if there are adjustments, changes or unexpected workflow hiccups, which will inevitably happen while everyone is remote. Being adaptable in an ever-evolving workplace is a desired quality in a valued employee.

Take advantage of your weaknesses

There is no doubt that being a remote worker comes with its set of drawbacks. You may be perceived as unproductive and lazy, but working from home is not as easy as it sounds. Because you’re not physically present for water cooler chats and meetings, it can be hard to keep track and communicate effectively. Some remote workers often work from a different time zone, further tightening the constraints on virtual communication. 

However, as a telecommuter, you should learn how to take advantage of your weaknesses in order to demonstrate your worth remotely. Working from home provides people with a perspective they may not develop in an office. Since you have the liberty of choosing flexible timings, make sure to analyse when you are at your most productive state. Keep an eye on everything that is happening around you, and you will be able to demonstrate your worth remotely in no time at all. 

Know your worth!

Do not let anyone underestimate you just because you have adopted a flexible workplace. In order to demonstrate your worth remotely, the most important thing is to understand your value as an employee. Ultimately, you may be the perfect remote worker and a productive member of your team, but your management may not be ready to accept that. If the case is so, then it may be time to seek employment where your contributions will be valued. Whether you’re sitting in an office chair or on your couch, you too deserve to be happy at work!

You do not have to perform grander acts in order to prove your worth as a remote worker. It is the little things which make a big difference. So if you also wish to demonstrate your worth remotely while working from home during the pandemic, or have made the conscious choice to adopt a flexible workplace, then make sure to utilize the above-mentioned tips to its best! It will definitely help you in creating a lasting impression on your supervisors and co-workers. 

If you found this article interesting, you might want to go through the following links:

1. Your ultimate guide to nail remote internships
2. The all-time best hacks to make work from home easy and fun
3. Work from home can now mean work from vacation!