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If you’ve ever been stuck in torrential rain waiting for a delayed train after a long day at the office, the chances are pretty decent that you’ve fantasized about working remotely at least once or twice
Telecommuting – one of the fancier terms for working remotely – seems to be the perfect arrangement for workers in dozens of industries. And, for the most part, it is. Companies that encourage and support remote work often report higher levels of employee retention and engagement, reduced turnover, higher employee satisfaction, increased productivity and autonomy, and lots of other benefits.
Of course, there are plenty of advantages for workers, too, including better work/life balance, greater control over the working environment, and the ability to make your own lunch in your own kitchen, to name just a few.
Unfortunately, there are some drawbacks to telecommuting – people just don’t tend to be as vocal about them.
Here are seven things I wish somebody had told me before I took the plunge and became a full-time telecommuter.
1-Telecommuting Truth : You WILL Feel Left Out Occasionally
I found out after everyone else that Larry – the founder and once very public face of the company – had moved on to a brand-new venture. An announcement had been made at the monthly company meeting, but because I work remotely, I wasn’t at the meeting.
This is just one example of how working remotely can lead to feeling left out. Sure, software tools such as Slack can help bridge the gaps between distributed teams (a term for teams and even entire companies comprised of remote workers) and in-house staff, but there will be times when you miss out on news circulating around your company – whether it’s important updates to the executive team or the latest gossip about tawdry office romances.
What Can You Do About It?
The extent to which you can mitigate against feeling left out of the loop depends on the nature of your relationship with your company.
As I write this, I’m sitting in WordStream’s beautiful new offices in Boston’s Back Bay—a far cry from my usual writing habitat of my living room in Providence, Rhode Island, where I work most of the time (often surrounded by my surly cat and dog, both of whom are excellent coworkers). I’ve been with WordStream for quite a while now, and this is the first time in over a year I’ve made the journey into the office to catch up with everyone.
This is because I suck, obviously.Read more
