Explore whether ethics and cleanliness matter in remote work environments and discover essential skills for successful remote employees.
The following is a guest post from my bloggy friend Taylor McKnight. Interested in having a guest post on my website? Click here for my guest post submission form.
The Importance of Ethics and Organization in Virtual Work Environments
As remote work continues to become an increasingly accepted and new norm in the workplace, one question that seems to arise is whether ethics and cleanliness are a necessary component of out of office work.
Not only does this present issues due to miscommunication and performance through written mediums, but it also means that there are no real repercussions for poor behavior. While most hardworking people strive for excellence in their jobs, having no direct line of communication can allow employees to slip into self-entitlement or laziness. Both of which can correlate to messiness and unethical behavior.
Factors to Consider When Working Remotely
Before hiring a remote worker, there are several factors to consider. The first is how much responsibility the new hire will have. Will they be required to make decisions and thus hold more power than someone with less responsibility? If so, this should be made very clear in the job description so that their actions correspond with what the company expects of them.
Another consideration is whether or not the employee needs to have regular meetings and contact with coworkers or clients. While some jobs can take place all by themselves without needing any communication for days on end, others require constant feedback and updates from coworkers. Companies need to be sure that everyone understands what role they’ll play in this regard before hiring people who work remotely.
Last but not least on behalf of the employee you will want to consider their other responsibilities as they are still a normal individual over anything else. With this in mind, you will need to think that while a remote worker does not have to worry about a commute they will need to worry about things an on site worker would not have to. For example, upkeep and cleanliness of a home office and more will have to be prioritized along with a more stable home lifestyle.
Beneficial Sustainable Skills for Remote Employees
While every employee is different, some skills are universally beneficial when it comes to working remotely. Clearly communicating expectations and goals will help a company know exactly what they’re getting from their remote workers while also providing them with the means by which they can succeed in reaching these goals.
Another important skill is time management, as most remote work allows employees to work on their own schedule in terms of hours but having control over those hours requires self-discipline.
A main skill that is beneficial would be the ability to multi-task. While working from home you can also balance this with other tasks, such as doing laundry, cleaning the house, running errands all while at or around your residence.
The Importance of Advocating For Yourself in Remote Work
When you’re not able to advocate for yourself directly, it becomes essential that your coworkers or friends do so for you without being asked. This is especially true for issues such as fair pay, workplace benefits, and work-life balance.
While some companies are honest about pay rates, others will ask you to accept less than minimum wage due to the “flexibility” that comes with working from home. In addition, workplace benefits such as vacation time or sick days are areas where remote workers need people advocating for them since they may not have anyone else to help demand these rights.
And in terms of work-life balance, while some companies pride themselves on having a four-day workweek, others make employees feel guilty about taking any sort of break at all by telling them that they should just be happy to have a job.
What Companies Can Do To Help Employees in a Remote Environment
While there is no specific “one size fits all” solution for helping employees work from home, some companies have found ways to make it easier on everyone.
If an employee isn’t getting the support they need from a manager or coworker in-office, then one way for this issue to be alleviated is by having someone to talk to who understands their situation and can help them through difficult times either virtually or with in-person meetings.
Some companies offer mentorship programs where new hires are paired with seasoned remote workers who can provide insight into what challenges they may encounter and offer best practices for overcoming them. It also helps new hires get familiar with workplace expectations while also informing existing employees of what the company expects from them. This is especially important for remote employees who may need extra support or guidance and are not always sure how to communicate this effectively without risking being reprimanded or fired.
Companies also need to make themselves more accessible by offering the means of communication that their workers feel most comfortable with, whether it be via chat programs, social media platforms such as Facebook, or office phones. This way, everyone feels like they can reach out should a problem arise and get help immediately so they won’t feel like they have no other options besides quitting their job in the middle of an emergency.
There also can be a set understanding for remote companies and workers that does establish you do have amore flexible schedule but you are still an employee. This could mean you have a longer lunch break than you would normally have in an on site setting. The extra time would allow you to look into more ethical practices and home cleanliness.
Hybrid Remote Workspace
Finally, some companies offer services that allow remote workers to work on-site when necessary at no extra cost to either party through a practice known as a hybrid remote workspace.
These spaces allow employees to meet face-to-face with their coworkers, which helps build workplace relationships and encourages more interaction outside of just work. They also provide access to some services that remote workers may not be able to get on their own such as benefits like healthcare or a gym membership.
By offering these services at no extra cost, companies can help workers feel connected through physical interactions even when working from home and traditional office space isn’t available. The scenario of working at home and being understood to have other priorities also provides and supports the correlation of ethics and cleanliness playing a role in remote work.
Written by Taylor McKnight, Author for Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning
