In today’s virtual workforce, accelerating one’s career is more challenging — especially for young professionals.
Many workers are now navigating new workplaces without ever stepping foot in an office, especially young professionals. That means they’re missing out on the slew of benefits that come with in-person work. As a result, remote work is putting young workers at a disadvantage for promotions and other career development opportunities.
Here are a few advices that we think would help you make the most of remote environments –
- Connect with colleagues outside of work by planning a virtual book club or coffee catch-up.
- Ask your manager or co-workers for feedback and advice on projects.
- Be proactive — whether you want to build relationships with teammates or earn more responsibility in your role.
Encouraging employees to stay home could help curb the spread of Covid-19 — but some leaders are warning that remote work is failing young employees.
According to a recent research, about 45% of full-time employees were working partly or fully remotely as of September. And as Covid’s highly contagious omicron variant sweeps through the globe, many companies — including Google, Goldman Sachs and Chevron — have once again delayed or changed their return-to-office plans.
Workers under 30 could be missing out on “the largest career-learning cycle” of their lives and building their network by not going into the office.
If we were asked for a piece of advice for younger people in their 30s: Go back to work. Even if your company doesn’t let you come back, create your own working environment and invite some people over.
Working remotely “does not work” for young people or “those who want to hustle.”
It’s a controversial stance. Staying home is arguably keeping billions of people alive, and multiple studies have pointed out that remote workers tend to perform better outside the office.
But the concern isn’t any employer’s bottom line. It’s being able to meet and build connections with your colleagues in person — which just isn’t the same on Zoom calls.
Why Younger Employees Are Missing Out
Research shows that many younger employees are feeling increasingly disconnected and committed to their jobs while working from home.
Young professionals have less engagement, less commitment to their organization and more social isolation while working remotely, putting them at disadvantage for promotions and other career development opportunities.
There’s hidden value in in-office interactions that can’t be replicated over Zoom. You get to watch how your co-workers interact with each other, listen to office gossip, and get a stronger sense of what skills the organization values as well as the direction they’re heading.
Working from home could also be damaging young employees’ productivity, according to recent research. At the start of 2021, PwC surveyed 1,200 workers and found that 34% of respondents with less than five years of work experience were “more likely to feel less productive while working remotely” compared to 23% of all survey respondents.
It’s difficult to master communication skills and build the relationships with co-workers that help you feel connected to your organization and better understand your job in a remote environment.
Having lunch with co-workers or dropping into your boss’s office are valuable interactions that help you have more fun and make a bigger impact because you’re more connected to all the folks that are there.
A different poll of more than 500 college students and recent graduates found that 40% of college students and recent graduates prefer completely in-person work.
In the same poll, 74% of respondents said they miss having an office community while working remotely, while others listed mentoring and in-person manager feedback as unique benefits of going into the office.
How Young Employees Can Make The Best Of Remote Work
Young employees can use a few strategies to maximize the networking and learning opportunities in a remote environment.
Find time outside of work to connect with colleagues — a virtual book club, a socially distanced gathering near the office — instead of adding another video call to people’s calendars. We all have Zoom fatigue after the past year.
You should also ask experienced colleagues or a manager for feedback and advice on a project is also a smart move, even if it’s in an email or over a five minute phone call. “People are always flattered to be asked for their opinion.
For example: Once you’ve accomplished a couple tasks, call your boss or send them an email saying, “This is what I’ve done this week — is this what you’re looking for? What are your thoughts?”
It might feel less natural in a remote environment, but it’s important to be proactive about building relationships with managers and co-workers as a young professional. Younger employees should organize interactive virtual gatherings with other co-workers, such as happy hours or trivia nights, to get to know people better.
Even if they’re not perfect, those introductions can help you build invaluable connections that will help you be considered for opportunities down the line.
(Source: www.cnbc.com)