Being able to work from home is a dream for millions of people. Whether employed or self-employed, the freedom to choose your schedules and reconcile your professional life with your family or personal life is priceless.
I have been working from home for several years, first as an employee and then as an entrepreneur, and I recognize that there has never been a better time to do it than now.
The pandemic closed offices and turned many employees into remote workers, which caused insecurities about how to be a good professional even when far away. But there are ways to improve your reputation and make progress even in the home office . Here are 5 best practices for working from home:
- Build relationships
Solid relationships are the foundation of any successful career and it takes effort to build them in the home office. Relating to your boss and your team is essential, but it is worth striving to increase your contacts.
Think broadly about your network, looking at individuals who are not on your team, but are close. Do you know those colleagues who, if you were working in the office, would be sitting nearby? Build relationships with them too.
- Observe the virtual behavior
It’s more complicated to understand the nuances of your team’s social interactions with Zoom, but it’s not impossible. Improve your observation skills and notice how people talk, make decisions and gain the trust of others. Observe your body language and facial expressions. Which opinion is highly valued? Who is interrupted?
There are subtleties in behavior that are important to analyze.
- Pay attention to how you act
Just as you are watching others, remember that they are also watching you. Be careful how you appear on the screen and be aware of the energy you are bringing (or not) to the conversations.
In meetings, keep the camera on and look interested. Lean forward and nod when appropriate. Do not do other things at the same time.
- Increase your visibility in creative ways
Increasing your visibility within your organization as a remote worker requires a little creativity. Booking virtual cafes and attending happy hours at Zoom is a good starting point, but it doesn’t help you to really stand out.
An example is a worker who, at the beginning of the pandemic, started a daily morning program in the company’s group chat. In videos, he shares employee stories and provides updates about the company – attracting many viewers and engaging leaders who want to be invited to the program. He’s helping to keep people connected and also getting noticed.
- Stay organized – and record everything in writing
No matter the environment, the basics for being a good employee are the same: working hard, being a good colleague and showing a willingness to learn. Virtually more effort is needed. Use all the tools at your disposal to stay organized. Be explicit with your team about your ideas and make sure that other people know how to contact you. To avoid communication failures, record everything in writing.
Facebook Published A New Guide For Running Live Events: What’s Inside
As of 2021, according to a Stanford University study, 41% of the American workforce is still working remotely. Live streaming platforms, live apps, and other communication tools have been crucial to keeping teams connected. Due to the pandemic, Facebook’s Workplace has seen a significant increase in users. As of 2020, Workplace has 5 million paying users. Facebook recently published a new 10-page guide to help companies run better Live Events in the Workplace.
What is Facebook Workplace
But what is Workplace, and how is it different from regular Facebook? Released in October 2016, Workplace is an online collaborative tool that helps teams and students communicate better. It is Facebook’s answer to workplace tools, such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Zoom. Workplace is used by retail companies, schools, and small businesses.
Features of Live Events on Workplace
Essentially, Live Events on Workplace has a similar structure and features to a regular Facebook Live event. You can go live from any device: from your phone, computer, or the Portal. Portal from Facebook is a smart device with AR features that makes video calls easier. The main difference between running a live stream in the Workplace is translations are done live. Global teams who are watching the live event will automatically see the translation in their language.
Benefits of Running Live Events on Workplace
Running a Live Event within the Workplace provides more options for interactions. Viewers can ask questions through the comment section and provide all the emoji interactions. You can also pin comments under the video to highlight essential questions from the team. Scheduling, hosting, and attending the live event happens all in one place.
If you don’t have Workplace, you can still easily host your Live Event or a Facebook Live using third-party live streaming platforms or live apps, such as Be.Live. You can do this on your timeline, group, or page.
What to Prepare Before the Live Event
There are different types of Live Event that you want to run in the Workplace. First, you have to decide who will be the target audience. Is it all members of the Workplace or just a specific group or department?
The next step is to understand the purpose of the meeting or the type of meeting. Is it a monthly company meeting? Or is it a fun virtual team building?
Once you have the target audience and the purpose, you can now schedule the Live Event. Ensure to include the agenda and relevant links that people may need to read before the Live Event.
How to Engage with Your Viewers
On Facebook’s guide, leaders are encouraged to be more authentic in their presentations. One way to do this is by weaving personal stories in the presentation to illustrate a point. Presenters can also take advantage of polls using the Facebook Live Producer to make the presentation more interactive. The Live Poll is especially helpful for getting employees’ feedback about a company policy or the next event to run. When running a Live Event, you might also want to appoint a host who will facilitate the discussion and the overall flow.
Continue the Conversation Even After the Live Event
Even if you choose the optimal time so everyone can join the Live Event, there are still employees who might miss it or might not join the event in its entirety.
Things to do after the Live Event:
Ask employees to catch the replay.
Answer questions in the comments that were not addressed live.
Add a recap with timestamps.
Check the insights and use this to improve the next event.
Summary
Using the Live Event in the Workplace certainly has its advantages. New companies who want to try Workplace can have a free three-month trial. After the free trial, it has a tiered pricing structure depending on the size of the company. Non-profit and educational institutions can use it completely free. If committing to Workplace sounds daunting for now, you can always try a live streaming platform or a live app to run a Facebook Live event and invite your employees. This is a great way to try this setup without onboarding your team to Workplace.