How to Show Your Value to Leadership While Working Remotely

Working remotely comes with many advantages, but not being physically in the office means you'll experience downsides too. For starters, you are not in your boss's or team leader's eye which means you could fall into the "out of sight, out of mind" category if you are not careful.

Remote status is becoming the 'new normal'

With the COVID-19 pandemic still very active, a significant number of employees across the U.S. were shifted to remote status. This means you are in the same boat as everyone else. You will need to work harder to be visible, but at least you are on even playing ground.

However, as remote working catches on as a viable work structure, chances are you could remain on remote status indefinitely. PWC recently reported 54 percent of leaders say their future plans include making remote work a permanent option. If your employer opts to go this route, you will want to up your game when it comes to demonstrating your value.

Actively seek to boost your visibility

If you do not actively try for people to see you and what you are up to, you are going to be invisible to most of your organization. One of the best approaches to show your value to leadership is to explore different ways you can be seen that will help you build your name and credibility.

• Offer to help your boss in ways that will make their life easier and lessen their burdens (but be careful not to take on more than you can handle).
• Look for problems that need solving and come up with solutions.
• Offer to give an informational video presentation of techniques you have found to be successful to achieve results or what you did to solve a problem.
• Volunteer to either lead or contribute to a project that would benefit your company.
•  Ask your boss if you can write blog posts for your company about topics you are knowledgeable about.

Like anything else worth gaining, be willing to take a few risks. Even if you fail, you can use this as a learning experience by explaining to others what you gained from your mistakes and help colleagues avoid similar pitfalls.

Passively make a name for yourself

Try integrating a few passive approaches in your quest to make a name for yourself. You want to effectively put yourself in a bird's eye view, but you don't want to be "in your face" all the time because it could result in the opposite of what you hope to achieve.

• Look to participate in video calls instead of phone conversations to put a face to your name and make you more memorable.
• Schedule lunches and other friendly "off the clock" meetings with colleagues to shoot the breeze.
• Tout your accomplishments but carefully avoid coming across as an aggressive braggart—selectively choose work you want to highlight to your boss.
• Steadily do your work at a productive pace without reaching the point of burnout—remember quality almost always trumps quantity.
• Send out positive emails (or whatever communication base your organization uses) on a regular basis to reach out to connect with bosses and colleagues—do not be afraid to share funny or interesting anecdotes (while remaining professional).

Once the pandemic passes and your company reopens to higher capacity if you are pegged to continue to work remotely be sure to stop in the office once in a while.

Remote workers do not have to relegate themselves to invisible status. Be active, and let people know what you are doing. Boosting your visibility while working remotely can lead to many benefits. You could be chosen for new opportunities that open, demonstrate your leadership qualities, and build stronger and better relationships with colleagues. All of which will ultimately show your value to your organization's leadership.

Looking for remote opportunities? See which employers are hiring.