The first tip we would like to share is open to interpretation on the practical side, but the underlying thought is crucial to make the transition to remote work as welcoming as possible: trust. It can be tempting for managers to start micro-managing colleagues when working from home, but this can dampen the mood and have a negative impact on the work being done or the mindset of colleagues. We understand managers prefer being able to see what their colleagues are working on like they can at the office, but starting to “monitor” your colleagues can create a sense of distrust (e.g. always have your camera on, not allowing to mute in calls, let others know when you go to the bathroom, etc.). Working remotely requires a sense of trust between colleagues that everyone is doing their work as well as they can.

Check in on colleagues every once in a while, but also let them work on their projects and allow for unannounced toilet and coffee breaks. Remote work requires changes, including ones in the mindset. Showing you trust your colleagues is crucial to making remote work a success.

Do not let required remote working discourage you: working from home has always been part of Xablu’s DNA and we see many benefits it has to offer.