One year in… my tips to starting remotely

It’s always a daunting feeling starting a new job. A mixture of excitement and anticipation, and wanting to give a good impression from the outset, whilst also taking the time to listen and absorb. 

These things don’t change. But amidst a pandemic other things have, and it’s important we take them into account.

Whilst once we may have been anxiously setting off early to ensure a smooth journey in on the first day, now for those that would have been “office” workers - the first day is spent setting up your equipment solo or worse...wondering where it is, and probably working in the same space you’ve been working, or eating in, or sleeping in for months. Hopefully not all three!

Exactly one year ago today I started at Equinor. Having signed the contract in December 2019 before the true extent of the pandemic was obvious, to me at least, it’s fair to say it’s not quite been the year I’d imagined. But I do remember feeling really welcomed in my first weeks.

I did have the opportunity to meet a few of my colleagues in person, during the brief period last autumn when things had opened up a bit, and we even managed a pint (outside!)...yet still most of the people I spend eight hours a day on Teams meetings with, I’ve never met in 3D form. 

Despite this, I’ve had a truly amazing year. I’m very lucky in that my job requires me to be visible across the company and this has allowed me to reach out to new people and develop good relationships. In some cases I’d even go as far as saying friends :)

And I’m not the only person I know that has started a job in lockdown. Both my sisters have started new roles in the last year, three of my really good friends and just last week we welcomed the newest member to the Equinor Dogger Bank team. So I thought I’d jot down some of the tips I’ve picked up on how to ensure as smooth a start as possible. 

If someone in your team is starting:

• Day One is important. Go to extra effort to make sure they have the IT set up from day one, if possible sending the hardware in advance. That feeling of starting but not being able to do anything is ten times worse from home, but having everything there before their first day can really help to put the person’s mind at ease. If there is extra allowance for home office equipment, let them know or if they can order internally ask them what they need before they start - in case they have it already. Sustainability, people! (If you want to go the extra mile, my manager sent me flowers on the first day which was a lovely touch, given that we couldn’t all be together.) 

• Be available. Remember that in an office they’d normally be able to turn to the person next to them to ask small questions about simple things; email signatures, shared drive etc but now there’s an extra barrier in having to email / IM someone or pick up the phone. Offer them times when they can fire all these simple questions at you, even if it’s a short check in daily, or ensure they have a buddy that makes the time. It will save time in the long run. 
• Don’t overfill the diary. Whilst it’s helpful to arrange other introductory meetings with key stakeholders both in and outside of the company, make sure you don’t overload their diary. They’ll need time to absorb info, do online training and get to grips with new things.
• Lead by example. If you’ve been working from home the last year we all know the rhetoric of making sure you take breaks, go for a walk etc but starting a new company it can be unclear if that truly is the culture or not. So encourage your new starter proactively to do the things we know are right for their wellbeing and the best way to show them this is ok, is to do it yourself. (It might even benefit you too!) 
• Arrange team activities outside of work. Yes this is difficult remotely, and we’re all quizzed out but there are still loads of things you can do together as a team that beats the small talk which is now the automatic agenda item one of every meeting. From online cooking sessions, or cocktail making if it’s more your thing ;) to proper team activities that can be done across the globe (see link in comments) with a bit of thought it can really make a difference. Even if it’s just a virtual pizza and a beer, the out of work atmosphere is important for making good relationships. 

If YOU are starting a new role:

• Well firstly, congratulations! It’s a tough market out there so tip number one is to give yourself a pat on the back. You deserve it. But speaking of your back, make sure you do set up a proper working space. Make-shift desks are fun, chronic back problems are not. Screens at eye-level etc - all very important.
• Get the basics down. Take the time to familiarise yourself with the company strategy, take a good look around the intranet / shared drive and any background documents relevant for your role. One thing I always tell my people starting new roles is to remember that no one is expecting big things of you straight away. Be a sponge. Take the time to listen to others and understand their perspectives, building up a good foundation from the outset will enable you to excel further down the line.
• Remember to take breaks and switch off at a normal time. You’re a human, not a robot. It can be tempting to work all hours at the beginning of a role to demonstrate your value and make a good first impression, but this isn’t sustainable. From home this can quickly become a dangerous balance, especially if no one has visibility of your working hours. So if the work really can’t be done in reasonable times, then it’s important to say something early on. It’s more likely that the workload is too much, than that you’re not capable - and speaking up at an early stage will help you understand what to prioritise. 
• Proactively reach out.  OK I know this one will really make some people cringe, and I am lucky as I am an extrovert and really get a lot of energy from speaking with people, but if you can muscle up the confidence to arrange individual follow ups with people who come across your path at work then it can really help to build your network. No agenda needed - just being interested in them and what they do is enough. You don’t even have to work with them directly, a good way to start is if you’re in a meeting with someone you haven’t had a proper intro with to just send them a follow up afterwards. I still do this now and it’s helped massively to build up some good relationships remotely.
• Look for opportunities to increase your visibility. Join internal networks and actively use channels like Yammer and Linked In. It can be daunting posting straight away; I’ve been doing social media for years and sometimes it still takes me 20 mins to write a post! But you can still engage with other people’s posts by liking and commenting, and building up to posting your own stuff. Or maybe there is a project you can get involved in slightly outside of your role? One of my friends who is an analyst at a bank sat on the social committee at her work to widen her network and push herself out of her comfort zone, and really enjoyed it!

Have you started a new role remotely? What was your experience?

Please share - I’d love to hear any other tips either for managers or individuals.. if we’re going to have to get used to it in the long run, we better get good at it!