10 Communication Best Practices For WFH

Even before the current crisis, remote work has been a solid growing trend globally. I’ve some tried-and-tested best practices from my year-long experience of working from home as a digital marketer.

For millions, working from home is a challenge filled with unsteady Wi-Fi, countless distractions, and your kids. Being a remote worker is a test for your limits of professionalism.

The reality of a remote worker

When your team is expecting you to contribute, your temporary home-based workstation can suddenly feel like misery. That’s because you are distracted - more by inside than outside factors.

Distractions are everywhere. Working from home is challenging too. Whether you’re a full-time freelancer or dealing with this new normal, there are ways to stay focused, professional, and help your team more effectively.

Consider this post as a crash course for all who now stuck at home for an indefinite period with some deadlines are lurking around.

Here are the best practices from my experience for staying on board when you’re working from home:

1. Leverage the technology

Different people have different communication styles. But when you’re into the remote workforce, adopt the most common technologies for communicating with each other.

Perhaps you’re a junior executive or maybe you’re a department head - all you need the right tool so you can get connected with each other.

At a minimum, you’ll need a common platform to start communication with your team members that all will be comfortable most. This puts all into a common podium and makes it easier for you to coordinate with them.

2. Focus on time and speed

In a world where you’re being asked to work remotely, communication is key to keeping the fluidity of the process. So, communicate the right way.

Like most things in the world, there’s etiquette or unspoken rules to follow; common ways of doing things that others will appreciate -

• Respect others: Try to acknowledge every message you received; be quick and concise, similarly implant your questions smartly.
  
  
• Be clear with your message: You’re reaching out to one who is working from home too. The more direct and clear your messages would be, the more easily your queries could be resolved.
  
  
• Address points: Everyone types and communicates at different speeds, so make sure when you’re responding to others, realize carefully why the question is being raised by your colleague. And also make sure, you are not replying after 2 hours the message you received.

3. Follow protocols

Employ the same office etiquette when you work from home. If a serious topic that requires discussion and you don’t want there to be any miscommunication, then pick up the phone and have a discussion right after sending an email or chat messages. That’s the best way for someone to bypass miscommunication.

4. Set a tone

It’s true that working from home needs from people to not just write well, but to also understand the nuances of language - essentially how messages get read and interpreted by the people you send them to is how the query gets resolved.

A good rule of thumb is to be positive and work on your interpersonal skills to get accustomed with all easily.

At the same time, if we start overanalyzing every single word written to us - we will start to create more mess for all, which leads to unnecessary friction where it didn’t exist before.

Basically, you need is building trust with all your co-workers. With that said, you should also set a tone for all your communication - because after all, you are a professional.

Nonetheless, if things go awkward, acknowledging fault is the best way for all parties to move on.

5. Try emoticons

If you are able to express your feelings better through emojis, GIFs, or memes, then do so, but stay away from silliness and again be professional. Sometimes, a thumbs-up emoticon to celebrate a job well done is more impactful than typing Thanks as your reaction!

6. Maintain routine

When you’re working from home, all sorts of things can come up that you didn’t anticipate in your office life!

Once you know that work gets done, you start to avoid getting derailed from the moment you sit down to start your office work.

How to block the distractions? If you’re a professional, please understand the power of the “mute” button. Mute yourself off in a room to spare the mind from the cacophony of domestic disturbances. Your heart will appreciate it’ll give you no excuse to getaway.

Best practice: Follow a routine. From waking up every day to start the day with assigned tasks, to sending day-end reports, to sign-off from work, to enjoy the rest with your family. The way you follow your routine on weekdays when you at the office, follow that same routine when you are working remotely.

7. It's okay to take breaks

If someone asks you a question, they expect an instant response. No matter in which situation you are. Communicating instantaneously throughout the working hours with co-workers is also important. So, when you are not working or away, put an away sign as a status on your chat window. This will buy you time to do whatever you need to do at home. But make sure, your breaks are no more than usual.

Because you are in a team and if you are away for a long time, it may cost the whole team’s productivity in the end. Better, set a login and logout time for all in a team. So everyone knows, what’s the best time to reach out?

8. Balancing act

With the full dependency on technology to get through your workday, it’s important to predict tomorrow. If you are working in a cross-functional team, you might even consider writing emails or sending chat messages in a more descriptive manner, so that the receiver can easily digest it and reply you back on time. Pick the email subject line bit more carefully. Set alerts, reminders for you as well as for others.

MS Outlook has lots of features like, “mark email as important”, “keep an email unread”, “mark done a task”, set up follow-up emails”, and more. It’s all about helping each other - not pressing. Be compassionate.

9. Use the mute button and screen sharing

In a 1-to-1 situation, it’s easy but what about a group chat, or an email to the team, or in audio/video conference call?

Make sure you address who you’re speaking to directly in the group. Why? Because things can get confusing, fast. Avoid using “you” in group conversations, because, on a group call, it’s not clear who “you” is when there are 10 others on the call.

Use the power of mute button - press “off” when you are not talking or talking less so others can listen to the speaker clearly

Use the screen sharing feature during calls when necessary to make your points visible

10. Be a professional

It may sound simple, but working from home presents all sorts of distractions you didn’t have to contend with at the office.

The best advice I can give is to know when you’ll be working and when you won’t. Stay loyal to your duties and responsibilities. Act like a true professional. Also, designate a workspace for you, preferably with a chair and table. Place yourself in a dedicated workspace or home office (if you can) and the chances you’ll be as productive as ever.

Also, eat healthily, drink plenty of normal water, do exercise, and enjoy life.

At the end of the day, a remote worker’s efficiency has to be judged based on productivity. So, look at it as a new opportunity and make the most of working from home while you can enjoy flexibility and freedom.

You never know how long it will last. Stay safe, be positive.