Maintain Connections

When we work remotely it’s easy to forget to maintain connections within the industry. We focus heavily on communication with coworkers to ensure we build the team, but events like those organised through Meetup require us to leave the comfort of our homes, so they’re easy to skip.

While working remotely, make time to get involved in industry events; attend meetups, go to conferences, be active on social media sites like LinkedIn. The benefits of this manifest in a number of ways; you have some great sources of new knowledge, you get out of the house from time to time, you improve your network of contacts, and you increase your profile in your chosen profession.

# My Experience So Far

For the past 18 months I’ve been getting significantly more active in terms of meetups and business social media sites. During the 3 week break I had between roles I continued to be active and also organised a number of coffee catch-ups with people from various parts of the industry.

Unfortunately, starting my new role coincided with many businesses rapidly adopting a fully remote policy due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and many meetups moving to an online only model for the same reason. I’m still trying to adapt to online meetups, I find I do not get as much out of them as in-person ones, but I am actively working on this. I’ve kept active on social media, and I also ensure I have an easy way for people to contact me via a video link.

Overall I still have room to improve here, and the longer I am working remotely the more inclined I will be to make and maintain an effort.