How women can keep from falling off their bosses’ radar while working remotely

The need for remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic changed communication styles overnight. Due to the rapid shift to the remote work environment and the early perception that we would not be socially distanced for long, the initial adaptations we made for working together were not necessarily set up for long-term success. Therefore, it may be difficult to convey the extent to which our work has continued or improved in the work-from-home setting to the people who need to hear it — our supervisors. This challenge may be particularly true for women.

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Research has pointed to the burden facing women when it comes to caregiving duties and balancing work and home life. To accommodate shuttered day care facilities and remote school situations, work schedules may not be following a strict nine to five schedule anymore, which adds an additional wrinkle to communicating with bosses. Less frequent touch points raise the risk that you are going unnoticed by a supervisor who is busy with his or her own project list.

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As we have become accustomed to the effect the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our home and work routines, we have learned more about what makes remote work collaboration successful and how communication can be sustained and even improved in the era of social distancing. The following are some tips you can use to ensure your work goes acknowledged even when it’s been completed out of sight from your boss.

Participate, visually if you can: Sitting in the back of the conference room is a luxury not afforded to the remote worker. Attend as many team meetings as you can and contribute ideas where appropriate. Use video conferencing to replicate the face time you may have been accustomed to when in-office. Visual connection is important to developing and maintaining relationships with co-workers and with your supervisor. It also conveys important non-verbal cues regarding your engagement in a particular task or conversation.

Be a team player who advances your supervisor’s priorities: Assume everyone’s plate is similarly full during this time. Where you have capacity, volunteer to take on additional projects or tasks that are priorities for your supervisor. If you don’t know where to start, remember this all-important question: “How can I help?”

Chances are, asking that question will be appreciated and also allow your boss to weigh in with directions on the approach she or he is looking for on a project.

Similarly, if your boss does come in with a specific request, be responsive. Even if it takes time to do the actual work, make sure you quickly acknowledge the ask and convey that you are working on it.

Establish a cadence that works for your boss and you: Set your boundaries for when you are available to communicate and when you aren’t. Clearly delineate those hours on your meeting calendar and with your team members. Carving out your unavailable times helps keep you from burning out while also mitigating the notion that you are hard to contact in a remote work environment.

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Once you determine your availability, connect with your boss to see if you are both on the same page. Modifications may be necessary, but the conversation will highlight your supervisor’s expectations about your availability and allow you to share the demands being placed on you outside of work.

Be mindful about communication preferences and frequency as well. Your preferred method may differ from others. While you may get more from the face time in a quick video meeting, your boss may need updates in writing. Establish what your boss is looking for in terms of communication mode and frequency as well as what interactions you need to get the input.

Answer questions before they’re asked: Having a busier supervisor may make it more difficult to schedule time to communicate. In this case, don’t wait until the next formal meeting to provide updates on where things stand or to ask questions that will help you accomplish key tasks. Proactive updates demonstrate your workload and that you can work independently, which will be remembered.

Work in progress: The ideal remote work situation is always a work in progress. What functioned at the start of the arrangement will shift as new responsibilities emerge. Be as transparent as you can during these shifts to ensure priorities stay aligned throughout the changes. The risks of falling off the radar are clear, particularly in times when budgets are being examined and long-term financial strategies are being considered. The more you can step up and show your value to the organization, the more successful you will be in the remote environment.