10 etiquettes for remote workers

Remote workers have increased since the pandemic and are increasingly becoming more popular in the Philippines, especially with the disastrous traffic we have. However, working remotely doesn’t mean you can do just about anything you like.

As remote workers, here are ten ways you can uphold some degree of etiquette to make working from home a good experience for you and your colleagues.

1. Proactive and frequent communication

When you’re working remotely, communication is crucial. So, it would be best if you were proactive in communicating with the appropriate people frequently.

Continually update your supervisor if you’ll be late or are sick, and ensure you communicate your vacation leaves properly. You should also regularly report your deliverable’s progress or issues to set better expectations. You can also change your messaging status to indicate if you’re out of the office or eating lunch.

2. Be professional during meetings

Meetings are some of the most common weekly occurrences when working remotely because managers and team members want to get updates from everyone.

Since meetings serve a purpose, there are some essential considerations when attending an online meeting. Here are some:

Dress appropriately by changing from your pajamas into something you’ll wear inside the office.
Check your background for unnecessary displays or just blur them out.
Test your audio and video.
Join the meeting early.
Mute your mic when you’re not speaking and talk when you’re called.
Always keep your camera open.

3. Respect your deadlines and deliverables

Deadlines and deliverables remain critical when working remotely.

It may seem that you have a free pass to ignore the agreed-upon timeline since your manager or supervisor can’t check on you, but you must respect it. By showing that you’re completing your tasks on time, you’re building a trusting relationship with your coworkers and managers.

Also, since remote workers are more output-oriented, you may sometimes work overtime but slack off at other times.

4. Respect work and personal life boundaries

One of the biggest problems with working remotely is the blurring of the work and personal life boundaries. This is because some of your co-workers may assume that you’re free to talk with them since you’re at home.

Since you’re working from home, setting boundaries and informing your team about it is important. Likewise, it’s important to give the same respect to your colleagues regarding their personal and work-life boundaries.

5. Avoid distractions

The biggest problem when working remotely is the different distractions that are always at arms’ reach, like our smartphones, social media, household chores, or a housemate who keeps talking while you’re busy.

So, in order to avoid getting distracted, you must be proactive in finding ways and strategies that will help you stay focused longer. Here are some:

Put your phone in another room.
Wear noise-canceling earphones.
Uninstall social media.
Install app blockers and website blockers.
Properly schedule your household chores.
Try working in a co-working space or a coffee shop to increase your focus.

6. Consider other people’s time zones

If your supervisor is working from another time zone different from yours, like you’re in the Philippines, but your supervisor is in the US, then you should respect the time differences.

Similar to how we don’t want workmates contacting us after working hours, especially late at night, we should also have the same courtesy towards them and avoid contacting them after hours.

However, if you really need to contact them, avoid pinging them on MS Teams, WhatsApp, or Slack. Instead, send it via email and delay its delivery so it will still be sent after you’re asleep.

7. Don’t multitask during online meetings

If getting distracted during face-to-face meetings is normal, it’s obviously easier to get distracted during online meetings.

As a remote worker, you need to be responsible and focused during meetings, even if it’s hard to do. So, to combat the urge to check your social media, watch funny YouTube videos, or even cook your lunch, here are some tips:

Open your camera.
Wear your headphones.
Remove your cell phone from your desk.
Take notes and prepare for questions or clarifications.
Always keep your meeting at full screen to avoid opening new tabs.

8. Be cautious when working outside your home

While you’ll be working at home most of the time, there will also be times when you’ll need to work outside, like from a café or a co-working space, like during power interruptions, or when your home becomes too noisy.

When that happens, you need to inform your team and ensure that you’re prepared, especially if you’re working on sensitive company information. Here are some tips:

Be careful when connecting to public Wi-Fi.
Install VPN and antivirus software on your laptop.
Use a privacy screen protector to dim your screen.
Use a security cable lock to secure your laptop.

9. Establish a trusting environment

One of the hardest parts for remote workers, especially if you’re a supervisor or manager, is fully trusting your co-workers if they are doing their best work simply because you can’t see them working.

One way to show you trust your co-workers or subordinates is to avoid micromanagement and constant follow-ups. Instead, please give them the benefit of the doubt that they are working while establishing proper expectations for their deliverables.

On the other hand, if you’re an employee, display your trustworthiness by constantly updating your superiors and meeting deadlines.

10. Keep a sense of humor

One of the downsides of working remotely is not meeting the people you talk with as frequently as you would have if you were in the office setting. Because of this, you and the people you talk to become too stiff and “too professional.”

So, one way to change things up is to keep a certain level of “personality” and sense of humor, hopefully creating a more positive environment without being unprofessional.

Working remotely is a great privilege for many because it allows you to work from home (or from anywhere) and be closer to your family. However, it’s still crucial to uphold a sense of professionalism with your workmates.

Did we miss anything? Share your thoughts in the comments below.