Five tips for starting a new job remotely during Covid-19

1 BE PROACTIVE

For a new employee joining an organisation, your number one rule has to be being proactive. If you’re not pro-active you won’t be visible within the organisation and visibility is really important in terms of career progression and your performance being recognised.

2 PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE TO CONNECT TO COLLEAGUES

You want to seem to be interested in your colleagues and willing to get involved. It’s not going to be the same as face-to-face interaction and there’s no point saying it will be, but you do have to push yourself outside of your comfort zone in order to get to know people.

3 DON’T ASSUME EVERYONE KNOWS YOU ARE NEW TO THE ROLE

Everyone else tends to just get on with their own work and you can’t assume that they remember that you’re new. When you’re introducing yourself, make sure to say, ‘Oh, by the way, I’ve just started’. Highlight the fact that you’re new to the organisation and interested to learn.

4 BE REFLECTIVE

Be observant and reflective in the interactions you have. Don’t go to meetings passively and solely focus on the topic. What else can you pick up? How do people talk to each other? Is it formal or informal? Do people seem risk-avoidant or open to innovation? Take time out after meetings to write and reflect on what you see or hear. Over time you will pick these things up automatically.

5 HAVE A ROUTINE AND TAKE BREAKS

Have a routine and have rules about when you work and when you don’t work. Take breaks and switch off. Allow yourself to completely switch off when you’re not working. Too many of us fall into the trap of overworking because we’re too focused on the clock. You don’t have to fall into that trap.