In the space of global corporations, and greater remote work post-COVID, the question of whether in-person relationships carry weight has to be had.
I know people who have worked remotely for an organization for many years, feel secure and have positions of trust and perhaps authority. On the other hand one has to wonder, in the face of a team comprised of people who are in-person, and those who are remote, who fares better? Is your personal credibility at risk?
The Remote Pendulum for personal credibility
Remote workers can be a great benefit to companies for many reasons, not the least of which is lower overhead. Being able to make do with smaller spaces and less internal infrastructure can add up. Having people accessible at all hours distributed across the globe can be a bonus for roles like customer service and IT troubleshooting.
The other side of the swinging scale for companies can be colleagues who have never met, only know peripherally, cannot monitor and perhaps, do not fully trust. It is not that they have been given any reason not to trust, but if you cannot look someone in the eye, see and know them on a daily basis, how much inherent trust can you have?
Employees Win, and They Lose
For people who may work from a location away from executive-level managers, there are wins, and there are losses. Among the wins may be feeling they can do their work without big brother watching over their shoulders. There may also be an opportunity for lower-level managers to take on greater responsibility because they are managing more of the day-to-day operations of smaller locations. For those working from home the list of perks can be extensive and include no travel time, greater flexibility in schedules and reduced expenses – think clothing, food, and commute time.
But there are also downsides to working away from corporate headquarters. Whatever the scenario may be, it is about being unknown. I have heard of organizational restructuring done based on targeting the ‘unknowns’ first.
Think about it: Is it easier to make someone's role redundant whose story you know, someone you will need to look in the eye, someone whose family you may have met? Or is it easier when it is someone you barely know? Is it easier to let someone go when they live in a distant city, or someone who you may happen to bump into around town?
Establish Trust
When it comes to others trusting you, it is important to make sure you show up. What do I mean? Do what you say you’re going to do. If you say you can do something, do it. If you can’t, make sure you ask for help ahead. When something falls under your job description, make sure the task is getting done, on time and as expected.
If you want people to trust you, you need to be the kind of person who is trustworthy.
Can you Mitigate Risk if you are not based at Corporate?
If you are someone who works away from corporate headquarters, are there things you can do to reduce your risk of being an unknown? Perhaps.
Don’t be the person who declines the chance to go to a corporate meeting in person. If the offer is made, take it.
Do be the person who opts to be camera on during conference calls.
Don’t be afraid to have your name be known. That doesn’t mean taking credit for someone else’s efforts but if you were part of a project, make sure your name is included.
Do be the person who goes the extra mile to form relationships. Reach out to people on holidays with a quick greeting; speak up on group calls; congratulate those who have been promoted.
Don’t be the person who doesn’t pay attention to what is happening at corporate because ‘it doesn’t touch you.’
Do be the person who is not just a payroll number, not just an email on the books. Be the person who is known, trusted and part of the team (even authority - not that this typical or common). One has to wonder, in the face of a team comprised of people who are in-person, and those who are remote, who fares better?
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