Preparing Your Teams to Work Remotely

I’ve worked from home in some capacity most of my adult life—since the days when remote workers added residential fax lines and enlisted couriers for document delivery. Working from "home" meant I could work from the road, as well as from my bed, backyard, or kitchen table. I’ve worked while holding babies between me and my keyboard and been on calls where I tried to ignore the sound of hell breaking loose in the next room.

Thankfully, the tech gods delivered convenient digital tools, so there’s never been a better time to work online. If home-based work is new to you or you’re trying to quickly transition your team to working remotely, here are seven tips to make life easier for you and your team members. 

1. Make space. You can work just about anywhere, but you’ll still want an office, a desk, or a corner of the house to serve as just your work area. It will be the place where others know not to touch your stuff. 
2. Create a routine. You can dress up, schedule breaks, or do whatever helps you feel in control. 
3. Set boundaries. Let roommates or family members know your schedule and when they need to knock, etc. 
4. Get supplies. Set aside coffee or other treats for your working hours to break up tedium and possibly replace the only things you might miss about the office. 
5. Be social—virtually. Use web conferencing and join social media groups to stay connected to the rest of the world. It can be both fun and useful to swap ideas with your peers. 
6. Get equipped. One day you may use a chatbot reply to your boss, but if you just want the basics for now, here’s where to start: 

• A fast, stable internet connection.
• A service for online video calls (like Zoom or Skype). 
• Project management tools like Slack and/or Asana.
• Email that is accessible on all the devices you want to use.  
• Your smartphone for mobile work and alerts, notes, recordings, work apps, etc.
• A laptop with a built-in camera and mic. (If you want to get fancy, consider providing team members with better cameras, additional monitors, and conferencing speakers.) 

1. Have fun. You may miss your office BFF, but you won’t miss the community bathrooms, the sketchy parking situation, the gas costs, or the commute. Use that time to take a walk or write a post to share with your friends who will also have more time on their hands.