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Onboarding from a distance: Do's and Don'ts

I am very excited to be onboarded with a leading startup. I believe that when a strong foundation is built, working remotely could be great for the firm and the individual.

Right now, at Makezu, we are team members located in both France and the United States.

My team members and I follow a simple ritual of scheduling a call and meeting every morning, we name this session our “Coffee Break Chat,” where we get a chance to brainstorm, discuss ideas, track our progress, stay motivated and connected. It honestly has been a great way to kick start the day. There is also a smart utilization of several platforms used to ensure efficient team organization, which makes the whole process of working remotely more transparent and focused.

Remote work has its own set of challenges. I would be lying if I said there are no feelings of isolation and loneliness. Although I shall say, such feelings could keep you more focused at times. When feelings of isolation begin to feel overwhelming, I would listen to music or a podcast, it really depends on one’s coping mechanism. I always keep in mind that having a challenge may be exactly what one needs. Challenges help shape our character.

Also, working and interacting with members only through a laptop screen may start to feel daunting after a while and flagging concerns remotely to team members could be a struggle. However, I love the fact that I am learning how to make better use of modern technology. From my standpoint, benefits outweigh the small challenges within the process of working from a distance.

Moreover, being in different time zones can be quite a challenge too but I can confidently say that working remotely bridges gaps and progresses motivation. On a personal level, I would say that it trains one how to think quickly.

Working remotely may not sound like everyone’s favorite. I myself think that it is one of the greatest experiences. Yes, you may miss out on that excitement of leaving the office. Yes, you do learn how to become more responsible since you are in control of your own actions. The secret to being able to succeed is to have a highly driven team with good dynamics and a vigorous vision.

My remote work experience with Makezu allowed me to come up with a list of Do’s & Don’ts that I kept in mind and would like to share

DO’s

  • Join communities (Indie Hackers, Product Hunt, Slack groups…etc) 🤔
  • Take your laptop and run to the nearest Library, Starbucks or your favorite coffee shop! ☕
  • Write down every single thought you have that you may want to discuss with your team 💭
  • Create a designated workspace 📎
  • Take the opportunity and learn to become more tech-savvy 👩🏻‍💻
  • Turn on your camera whenever you can 🤗
  • You have plenty of quiet time to think… be creative! 🤯

DON’Ts

  • Don’t spend too much time trying to figure out everything on your own, it is okay to ask questions 🔑
  • Don’t set any personal appointments or phone calls during work hours 🕗
  • Don’t rely on only one method of communication ✋🏻
  • Don’t forget to move around and be active, you haven’t left the house since you woke up 🤸‍♀️
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