Feeling Isolated? You’re Not Alone.
In our blog series exploring 4 Signs that you might have the work at home blues, feeling isolated or detached from your business colleagues, clients or work teams is probably more common than you’d like to admit.
I mean c’mon, with e-mail, instant messaging and chat rooms, Web-Ex and video conferencing, you’re just about as connected as if you were in the corporate office, right?
Err, not quite. People are looking for better ways to counteract the inherent isolation that accompanies the virtual workplace. Virtual assistants and other remote workers miss out on water cooler conversations and other social aspects of office life.
Don’t get me wrong. Isolation can be a good thing. When you’re working on a project that requires concentration and focus, the peace and quiet of a work at home arrangement is intoxicating. Particularly when compared with sitting in an office cubicle overhearing co-workers candidly discuss their mortgages, hairdos and marriage troubles. However, that peace and quiet soon turns to loneliness and deafening silence (Think Jack Nicholson in The Shinning) when it’s all you know day after day.
Telecommuters in particular, may also feel deprived of vital training and mentoring opportunities that complement corporate office life. According to a survey conducted by Futurestep, a subsidiary of Korn/Ferry International, about 61% of global executives say they think telecommuters are less likely to advance in their careers, compared with employees in a traditional office setting.
Companies are stepping up by creating new collaborative environments, temporary and satellite offices and cafes with wireless access, but ultimately it’s up to you to take advantage of the same career advancement opportunities your office based counterparts take for granted.
It can also be difficult to establish and maintain relationships with co-workers from a remote location. Some may even be envious of your work arrangement.
In the early days of my career as a virtual assistant, there were times I elected to work on site with a client 1 or more days a week. On one such occasion, I committed to 2 days per week at a client’s corporate headquarters. In my time there, I developed friendships with several people, but specifically recall a co-worker who refused to empathize with any grievance I expressed, because “I had it easy working from home.”
There are a few ways you can combat this common symptom of the work at home blues.
Read my post: 3 Fixes for Isolation When Your Work is Home to learn more.
