CSE 300: Professional Readiness

W06 Learning Activity: Remote Work

Your main task this week is to complete and report on your informational interviews.

While you are working on that, you will also learn a little about Remote Work. It is very common for software developers to work remotely all or part of the time, even if that simply means working from home occasionally. This learning activity will share some best practices around remote work to help you be successful.

Instructions

Read the following. Submit the quiz in Canvas when you have finished.

Communication Tools

In addition to email, most companies will use tools such as Slack or Microsoft Teams to communicate about work projects. This is one of the reasons we have used these tools throughout the Software Development program. Regardless of the tool your company uses, get comfortable with it. The following are suggestions for using these tools effectively:

• Make sure your profile is accurate and professional.
• Use your status. Make sure your status is accurate and consistent with the way others at the company use it. Some companies rely on status to indicate when someone is available, in a meeting, away, be right back, or out of the office. Look at the way others in the company use the status and try to follow their lead. Ask your manager for guidance if you have any questions.
• Notify only the people you intend. Most tools have a way to send notifications such as @Roberto, and then also ways to notify a group, such as @channel or @everyone. Be careful using these group mentions in general, especially in unfamiliar channels, so that you do not accidentally notify more people than you intend.
• Keep your discussion positive and professional. Avoid typing in all capital letters, or saying negative things about the company, coworkers, or clients. This is a good practice in general, and is especially relevant to any written communication. You should consider that anything you write might be seen by anyone else in the company. Also, remember that the company owns this communication platform and could have access to anything you say.

Tips for being productive while working remotely

Working remotely can bring positive and negative boosts to your productivity. The following suggestions will help you avoid pitfalls and take advantage of the opportunities that remote work brings.

It is also important to understand the remote work culture of the company you are working for. Some companies were designed as remote first companies, where from the very beginning they planned on people working remotely and made decisions accordingly. Other companies have been office first and are now incorporating remote work into their culture. This movement to allowing remote work was already happening, but was accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. These two types of companies might have very different expectations around working hours, synchronous meetings, and other norms. Either approach can work, but it is important to understand the culture of your company to know if it will be a good fit for you, and to know how to be successful.

Establish a routine

When you work remotely, it can be easy to blur the boundaries of work and the rest of your life. It can also be easy to get up late and casually slide into work without purpose and intention. The following are suggestions about how to establish an effective routine.

• Start with a morning or workday routine. If you begin your work in the morning, wake up at the same time, and get ready for the day in a similar way that you would if you were going to the office. Have a checklist and follow it. Make sure you wake up with plenty of time to get ready for the work day. Dressing for the job can also help you stay engaged and treat the job with a level of professionalism. If you start your work later in the day, consider a routine that can help you define that you are going to work.
• Develop a to-do list. Make a priority list of tasks you want to accomplish that day. Having a list can help you begin your work with focused intensity and can help you stay on task throughout the day when you lose focus or get discouraged.
• Use your calendar. Your calendar can be a great tool to schedule meetings and appointments with others and also to block out times for yourself for focused work and for breaks.
• End your day with a routine. When it is time to finish work, make sure you end with a routine that can help you feel like you are done for the day and returning home from the office. This can be as simple as turning off your computer and setting it aside, or you might have a separate routine like changing your clothes or eating a meal. The important point is to help define for yourself when work time is over and personal time begins.

Create a focused environment

When you work remotely, it can be easy to have a work place that contains distractions. Ideally, you might have a separate office in your home to use for work, but that is not necessary. The key is to create a space that works for you and helps you stay focused. Consider the following suggestions:

• Create a place for work. Many people find that when they work from home, it becomes difficult to separate the time when they should be working from the time when they are off. Using a different space for work helps you mentally make that transition. For some people this is as simple as sitting on one side of the table or in a certain chair when they do work, and not when they are home.
• Get the right equipment. Make sure that you have a good computer, keyboard, and monitor for your work. Many companies have budgeted money to help purchase these kinds of things for remote workers, so be sure to ask. In addition, make sure you have a comfortable chair and workspace. Remember that you will spend a large portion of your day working there. If you will work in a place with other people around, good noise canceling headphones can be essential in helping you maintain your focus.
• Have reliable internet access. Because the internet will be your connection to work, it must be reliable. Remember that good internet is as essential as having a reliable bus, train, or car to get to the office. Depending on your situation, you may need a backup plan in case your primary internet is unavailable.
• Avoid distractions. Your workspace should allow you to focus on work. Find ways to eliminate distractions by keeping the space neat and clean. Where possible, avoid working in places where you will have other responsibilities like cooking or caring for a pet.
• Set boundaries with others. Along with avoiding distractions, if there will be other people around you, it is important to work with them to set boundaries for when you are working. Help them understand when you will be available to talk or help with a task and when you will not. Help them remember that when you are working, you need to be focused on that, so that you can be honest with your employer and develop professionally. Then, when you are done working, you also need to respect that boundary and not be constantly doing work.

Over-communicate

When you see people at the office it is easy to notice that they are working hard or that they are on vacation. It is easy to mention something in passing, such as an upcoming task or an idea for the future. It is also easy to simply be present in someone else' mind (for example, "Oh yeah, Jenifer, I've been meaning to tell you...").

When you are working remotely you need to be explicit and intentional to create these sames kinds of conversations. To do so, you'll need to over-communicate. Don't assume that just because you've mentioned something once, that people will remember, especially if it relates to your schedule or being out of the office.

The following are some specific tips:

• Make sure that people know what you are working on. Your team may have a daily standup meeting that makes this natural. In addition, it is good to regularly share with your manager the things you are working on, the problems you are having, and the ways you are working through them. Also, don't forget to share the successes you have had. It's common to reach out for help when you have a problem, but it is important for people to recognize the success you have as well.
• Don't hesitate to ask for or schedule a video call. Especially if you keep these calls brief, they will become natural and not seem like a burden to you or others.
• Be positive—even a little over the top. Because people don't see your face all the time, it can become easy for you to seem less engaged or excited about the work. By making an extra effort to be positive in all your communication, you will help reinforce the good that you are bringing to the company.
• Be proactive about scheduling one-on-ones. Scheduling regular check-in meetings with your manager or others that you work closely with will help you stay at the top of their mind, and help you capture some of the in-passing conversation that naturally occurs at the office. At some companies, these may happen more asynchronously, which can also be effective. If that is the case, set a reminder for yourself to check in regularly with your manager.
• Be clear about your schedule. Help others remember when you are and are not available, especially if you will be out of the office or unavailable for a period of time. You don't always have to be available. It can be tempting to address every issue as soon as it arises, and some issues are in fact urgent, but it's also ok for many tasks to wait.

Show up and be present in video calls

Even if the technology at your company makes it difficult to join or be heard in meetings, it is important to join and be present. Also, make sure to turn on your camera so that others can see you and know that you are engaged. Ideally, you will participate in the meeting in some form (that's why you are there), but it may not always be appropriate for you to be active in the conversation. In these cases, find other ways to be present.

Being present might include sending a chat message to others during the meeting, or following up afterward about tasks or ideas from the meeting. Also, even simply saying "Hello" or "Goodbye" in the meeting, or mentioning that it's great to be with people as you sign off helps others remember that you are present and active.

Socialize

In an office setting, people can socialize without any concerted effort. When you work remotely, you need to take initiative to do this explicitly. There are many benefits to connecting socially including your emotional well-being, but also, to strengthen work relationships that can help you be more productive in the future.

You should find regular, consistent ways to check in with people and talk about casual, even non-work-related items. At your company, the team might have this built into their schedule, or it may happen naturally at the beginning or end of another meeting. But you also might have to take initiative to make this happen.

Some teams have channels in Slack or Microsoft Teams for non-work related things. Make sure to play an active role in these conversations.

Take care of yourself

When you work remotely, it can be easy to forget about your personal health, including both physical and mental health. Make sure to schedule and take breaks throughout the day, including time when you can stand up and walk around. Where appropriate, find time to get outside each day. If you live alone, be conscious of ways to connect with others outside of work.

Serving in the Church can be a great way to continue to nurture relationships with others and build your social, emotional, and spiritual well being.

Submission

After you have finished this learning activity, return to Canvas and submit the associated quiz there.

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