Staying in the Loop When Telecommuting

No. Productivity is, of course, important, but politics and perception can be equally important. So much work is done today in teams that, even though you work mainly alone, you must perform as a team member.

By marketing yourself as a key employee in the organization, regardless of where you work, you will be remembered for promotions, raises, and important assignments. You will also be less likely to become a victim of downsizing and more likely to be part of the office grapevine, hearing—sometimes significant—news and gossip that could advance your career.

The behaviors that your superiors in the organization value will determine how you go about building a network within the workplace. If they have created a casual open-door environment that allows you to drop in at any time, be sure that you do at least once a week. If, however, they prefer that you schedule appointments, set up lunch meetings or other dedicated times for you to meet with your supervisor or manager to be updated on the department's news and projects.

Arrange, if you can, to keep a desk and direct phone line at the office. Furnish your workspace with a nameplate, personal photographs, and business-related materials, so that everyone can see that you remain an employee of the company.

Whenever possible, offer to hold meetings in your home. Your coworkers from the office may regard a visit to your home as a pleasant outing and your comfortable living room, away from ringing telephones and interruptions, as a great place to gather for brainstorming sessions.

Stay visible via e-mail, your company's listserv, and other electronic communications systems. Try to answer all company e-mail within three hours of when you receive it or, whenever possible, immediately.

Many companies encourage employees to be directly involved with charitable and social projects. If your department is answering phones during a telethon or serving Thanksgiving dinner at a homeless shelter, be sure to join in. You may like to become involved in a regular volunteering scheme or take part in sporting tournaments run by your organization.

Spending most of the workweek away from the office means that, in order to remain visible, you must market yourself in the same way that independent consultants and contractors do in order to build their businesses. Stay in touch with your colleagues in the office by inviting them to lunch, sending them Web addresses or journal articles that would interest them, especially those that offer ideas or insights that could further their careers.

Be sure to market yourself not only to your employer, but to your profession as well. Become a member of your professional association and attend as many meetings of its local chapter as your time and budget allow. Keep your professional contacts current, both inside and outside your company.

Another way of marketing yourself is to get published at every opportunity. Write articles and reports for your organization's newsletters and other internal communications vehicles, including its intranet, if it has one. Also submit articles to your professional journal. If you feel it would be appropriate, you might want to ask your supervisor to coauthor an article.

Your name may be on the company payroll, but that does not mean it is on the minds of your coworkers or supervisor. Part of your job is to make sure that your colleagues do not forget you.

When you were in the office, you remembered your coworkers with cards on their birthdays or work anniversaries, congratulated them on work well done, helped them with problem assignments, and asked them for advice. Do the same things now as you did then, because by remembering the people you work with, they will remember you.

You have lost touch if you suddenly realize that: you do not understand the new jargon; you cannot keep up with the advancements in technology; you based your last assignment on an outdated assumption; you have never worked closely with the newer employees immediately above or below you in rank; and you learned last week that one of those below you was promoted to a higher rank than you. If this happens, maybe it's time to return to the workplace.

It is easy to fall into the routine of moving from bed to shower to breakfast table to desk to dinner table to sofa and then to bed again. Make an effort to get to the office at least once a week. If this is impossible, make at least two appointments that will get you away from your home environment every week.

By not being in the office on a daily basis, you risk losing sight of your boss's opinion of your work. Likewise, your boss's inability to see what you are doing, could be giving him or her second thoughts about your telecommuting. Regular, face-to-face meetings with your boss to review completed assignments and agree on future ones, will give both of you the opportunity to confirm that you are indeed achieving the goals he or she has set for you.

Telecommuting Jobs: www.tjobs.com