How to Adjust Your Work Habits to Succeed at Working From Home
A previous version of this article was originally published on Linkedin on September 6, 2019.
According to a study published by Upwork, in 2018 about two thirds (63%) of companies reported having remote workers. That statistic is already high, yet due to the current situation with COVID-19 it’s likely that today even more companies have employees working from home.
The ability to work remotely has many advantages both for a company and its employees. For instance, as we see today, companies that are able to have their employees work remotely have been marginally affected by the social distancing restrictions compared to the many restaurants, bars, gyms, and other establishments that are having to cease operations and in some cases, let go of some of their workers.
Those of us who can work from home are fortunate but that doesn’t mean that working from home is easy.
The Biggest Adjustment to Working Remotely
Switching from working in an office to working at home, especially for teams, requires significant adjustment, particularly when it comes to communication.
Communicating effectively not only depends on what you say, but also, more importantly, on how you say it. While advancements in technology have enabled us to collaborate remotely, digital communication still has several limitations.
To understand the limitations of digital communication, we first need to understand the ingredients for good communication:
In 1967 Albert Mehrabian along with his colleagues came up with the 7–38–55 formula. Mehrabian’s theory states that communication is 7 percent verbal, 38 percent vocal, and 55 percent facial. In other words, when communicating with someone, what you say is only worth 7 percent of its meaning while your tone and nonverbal cues are worth 93 percent.
Based on the 7–38–55 formula we can assume that the best method of communication is face-to-face conversation; thus, remote teams are disadvantaged because face-to-face communication is not always possible.
Not having frequent face-to-face conversations with teammates puts remote workers in a difficult position, however, the challenges of digital communication aren’t insurmountable. Many digital communication tools limit the ability to communicate non-verbally and all communication tools are at risk to poor connections, power outages, and other uncontrollable interferences. But, by understanding the benefits and limitations of each different communication tool and knowing when and how to use each option, remote teams can communicate successfully.
Digital Communication Tools: How and When to Use Them
There are currently four main methods of digital communication: (1) video chat, (2) phone, (3) instant message, and (4) email. I have listed each of these methods below, along with their benefits and limitations.
Video Chat
If an in-person face-to-face conversation isn’t possible, video chatting is likely your next best option. Just like a face-to-face conversation, video chat allows for people to communicate using all three components of the 7–38–55 formula: verbal speech, vocal tone, and facial cues. In addition, video chat is done in real-time, making the flow of conversation similar to that of an in-person conversation. However, video chatting’s effectiveness is limited to an application’s video and audio quality. A choppy video or inconsistent audio can cause miscommunication, unheard information, and increased levels of stress.
Benefits
- Communicate verbally and non-verbally
- Communicate in real-time
Limitations
- Potentially poor video/audio quality
- Other potential technical issues
Phone Calls
Talking with someone on the phone allows for two components of the 7–38–55 formula to be used: verbal speech and vocal tone. Also, phone calls are conducted in real-time which helps make the flow of the conversation more natural. However, due to the inability to see who you’re talking to, phone conversations risk lack of engagement and unintended interruptions.
Benefits
- Communicate using words and tone
- Communicate in real-time
Limitations
- Not being able to see the person you’re talking to
- Phone service availability
- Potential technical issues (e.g., audio quality)
Instant Message
On the surface, instant message appears only to allow people to communicate verbally, but symbols, emojis, and other non-textual additions to a message can allow the speaker to express tone and emotion. An article published by the Harvard Business Review gave the following example:
“the use of exclamation marks or a negative emoji after referring to someone’s gender, nationality, or religion is as powerful a marker of disapproval as a disgusted face.”
Benefits
- Use of emojis
- Quick response time
Limitations
- Lack of auditory communication (besides notification sounds)
- Inability to use actual facial expressions and other nonverbal cues
- Potential technical issues
Email can be an effective communication tool depending on the situation.
For example, if you need to ask Bob to submit his daily report by 5 p.m. and it’s 4:53 p.m., then email is likely not the best choice for communication. On the other hand, if you would like Bob to look over a data report and provide detailed feedback, email is much more suitable.
Unlike a video chat, phone call, or instant message, there’s no expectation that an email will be responded to in a short amount of time. Email makes sense when communicating non-urgent messages or when asking someone to review complicated information such as a metrics report.
Benefits
- Ability to include detailed information
- Ability to establish a written tone
- Use of emojis, pictures, gifs., and other visual tools
Limitations
- Lack of auditory communication (besides notification sounds)
- Inability to use actual facial expressions and other nonverbal cues
- Potential technical issues
- Possible misinterpretation
To survive working remotely we all need to ensure that we are utilizing our communication tools in the most effective way possible. Are you currently working remotely? Share your digital communication challenges, tips, and tricks in the comments below!
