13 Things To Do At Your New Job While You're Working From Home

Thanks to the pandemic working from home has become the basic practice for everyone. In fact, people have adapted so much to working remotely that going back to the normal work settings may be tougher than expected.

But, hey, working from home doesn't mean people aren't joining new companies for a better future. However, the arrangement can be tougher for those starting a new job remotely. Getting to know the company, colleagues and even the lay of office politics is all the more difficult without the experience of being able to connect with others in person.

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Starting a job remotely is more about virtual joining than personally bumping into people and getting to know them. So, here are all the things you can do to set yourself for success when starting a new job remotely :

1. Set Your Alarm For At Least An Hour Before You Start Work

Doing this will just give you time for yourself and prepare you for a whole new workplace. You can do a little bit of exercise, eat your breakfast and mostly start on time at your new office.

2. Set Up A New Workspace

If you shifted from one job to another, you starting a new job wouldn't seem any different given the circumstances. So, try setting up your workspace in a new room or new place at home. Refresh your remote-workspace, whether you¡¯re setting one up for the first time, or you¡¯re just adding a new piece of art or a plant to your desk.

3. Communicate With Your Manager On The Very First Day Or before

After your first few days of orientation, you¡¯ll want to have a more in-depth talk with your manager about their expectations for you in your new role. Take this opportunity to find out what projects you will be starting on, whom you will be working with and if you can take advantage of any resources to familiarize yourself with the project ahead of your first day.

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4. Set Communication Standards

Considering that this is a remote setting, communicating things with your manager or team is the biggest task. Get to know the most convenient way to communicate (email, instant message, phone or video), time of day or even frequency of getting in touch. Tell them about your preferences so you can meet in the middle. Since most of it would be via texts, make sure to clarify any sort of misinterpretation via a simple phone call or video call since none of this is personal.

5. Get To Know Your Team

It will obviously be much more of an effort getting to know your colleagues virtually, but if there's no other way one should get on it. Start with your immediate team, and personally invite each person to chat with you for at least 30 minutes to learn more about them, what they do and how you might be able to work most effectively with them. After this, try broadening your networking by trying to speak with people from other teams. This sort of internal networking may help you once you physically join the office.

6. Always Ask Questions

It may seem a little too much at times for your manager who might have a ton of work but hey, you're new and you need to know things to function better at your company. Don't hesitate to ask about anything and everything you're not able to understand. If you think your manager is busy, ask your colleagues and team members. Your curiosity may be taken as a sign of you taking a particular interest in the new company.

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7. Always Speak Up In Team Meetings

You're a new person for the entire team so they are not aware of how you work and what ideas you have about certain topics. So, a weekly or monthly team meeting is a perfect place to get yourself noticed. Always make sure to respectfully forward your ideas about certain things or topics related to your work or if it's a casual meeting, give in some inputs here and there about your life.

8. Be Punctual

Working from behind a computer at home or in a remote setup doesn¡¯t mean you should be any less punctual. This includes starting work on or before your start time and joining meetings on time, if not a minute or so early. Make sure to join meetings right on time, set reminders so that your team members don't have to nudge you to join them. It gives a bad impression.

9. Be Proactive

Every team works in a different way, while some chat and discuss all the time, some mind their own business. So if your team isn't too chatty and that is making you feel disconnected, don't worry, these are common and understandable feelings for many new starters. Try speaking with your manager about the difficulties you're facing, making you feel demotivated and how they can be solved to work efficiently.

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10. Don't Overwork

It may be frustrating for a newcomer to understand the new systems and working schedules of the new company but that obviously it will take a person time to get acquainted with it. However, that doesn't mean that one needs to overwork and not mark the life between personal and professional lives. Keep taking breaks in between and make sure to not miss out on food and health because of work.

11. Set Your Goals

Your early goals don¡¯t necessarily have to be large ones. What¡¯s truly important is that they are goals that will help keep you focused in the initial weeks and months. These goals will also give you a stronger sense of direction, make you more organised and help boost your productivity. In turn, they will improve your self-confidence in the job and make a positive impression on your new manager.

12. If Your Company Is Open To It, Try Introducing New Things To Make WFH Better

The best about you joining remotely is that you're new and know your struggles first hand. So, if you think there is something that can be done to make the transition smooth for all newcomers based on your experience, pitch it. This will help everyone.

13. Be Patient And Forgiving

Keep in mind we are all learning how to do our best in a virtual environment. Be patient with yourself as well as your colleagues and manager. Hopefully, they will be giving you the same benefit of the doubt.

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Don't fret, get ready for the new adventure.