Learning the unwritten rules of communication in the remote workplace is often trickier since there’s no way you can figure them out through observing others. It’s only natural for any beginner virtual assistant to find it more challenging because it’s usually not part of the outlined formal policies or onboarding procedures of any company. 

Luckily, many of these unwritten rules are practically universal and it all boils down to one thing: respect. By understanding these rules and showing respect to your co-workers, you can avoid taking actions that can harm your career as a remote worker and reap the benefits of maintaining pleasant relationships.

Being late to a virtual meeting or a conference call just because you lost track of time will never be a valid excuse. If you can’t avoid being late because of an ongoing prior meeting, an emergency, or any technical difficulty, it is your responsibility to inform the other parties immediately and re-schedule. Make sure you won’t be late with no explanation as it will show your lack of integrity and responsibility.

Likewise, remember to set up calls and other communication with respect to your recipient’s time zone. Ask the other party first if you are not sure whether the time of your call will be appropriate so as not to inconvenience others. You can’t expect anyone to be alert and focused if they’ve just woken out of a deep sleep, more so to have a meaningful and productive conversation that should be the aim of any meeting.

Working from home also means trying to embrace all sorts of distracting background noise — barking dogs, crowing roosters, loud TV, children screaming, you name it. However, when it comes to having a phone call, there is nothing more irritating than having to hear all the noise while you’re trying to talk. As much as possible, try to find a place where you can have a conversation in peace, whether it’s in your home office or a quiet room. Or at least mute the mic whenever your dog starts barking as respect to the person you’re talking with.

Impressions are important, even in remote work meetings. If the communication requires a video call, try to at least look appropriate. There’s no need to don a suit and tie or an office blazer; just try to look presentable especially if the bosses or clients are included in the conversation. By sporting a casual office look, the person on the other end will think that you’re all set for the call.

How can you focus on the discussion if you are crunching codes or responding to emails, even if it’s a multi-party meeting that seems to go on forever? Resist the urge to multitask, no matter how tempting it is or how good you are at juggling a few things at the same time. Because when it’s time to give your input or comment on a certain topic, you have to shift your attention to the conversation. It might make you miss a few key details, making your insight less valuable than it could be. It will give others the impression that you are disinterested, and you might even look or sound rude and conceited. Remember that your teammates or anyone who’s in a call with you deserve your undivided attention for the time they also spend on the meeting.

Don’t jump off right away at a conference meeting the minute it seems like it’s going to an end. It’s usually best to be prepared to hang on for a few more minutes so you won’t miss important changes to deliverables, designs, and topics. Someone might’ve chimed in at the last minute, causing the “spillover discussions” to continue. If you’ve abruptly left, make sure to follow up with your co-workers to make sure you didn’t miss anything that was decided after the formal meeting ended.#