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How to create allies at work in a remote environment

Written by: Tom Leatham
Published on: 29 Jan 2025

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In today's employment landscape, the concept of the 'workplace' has undergone a significant transformation. With an increasing number of businesses embracing hybrid and homeworking arrangements, the traditional office environment has given way to the digital workspace. However, this shift can bring new complex challenges for PAs, EAs and Office Managers, particularly when it comes to building alliances and fostering effective relationships with our colleagues.

Still, even in these new remote environments, we can create strong allies at work in the business support sector. In light of that, here at SecsintheCity, we have provided some tips on how to make allies at work in a remote environment.

Be responsive and proactive

In a remote setting, your responsiveness and reliability can significantly impact how your colleagues perceive you, so responding promptly to messages and meeting deadlines consistently encourages others to view you as a dependable ally. Of course, it’s also important to consider that not everyone can respond to every query immediately, so it’s worth using your intuition and common sense in certain scenarios.

Being proactive in your work approach can show your commitment to your success as a team and not just as an individual. Anticipate potential challenges and address them before they escalate into larger issues and offer assistance to colleagues who may be struggling with their workloads or facing difficulties. This kind of cooperative behaviour can enhance your standing as a valued member of the remote team.

Establish clear communication

Communication is the cornerstone of any relationship, and it becomes even more important when working remotely. The way we converse with people can help to foster trust and understanding in our fellow team members. In fact, even the mode of communication that we use remotely to contact our colleagues can have an impact on how the message is understood. For instance, it’s most helpful to use emails for formal matters, chat apps for quick updates, and video calls for more personal interactions.

By checking in regularly with our colleagues, particularly from a managerial perspective, we can ensure that all team members are on the same page, reducing the risk of miscommunication and misunderstandings. During these check-ins, be sure to encourage open communication where everyone feels comfortable voicing their thoughts and ideas.

Show empathy and create opportunities

Working remotely can sometimes feel isolating, and showing empathy towards your colleagues can make a world of difference. Actively creating a sense of community can help alleviate feelings of isolation among remote team members, so try to set up opportunities for informal interactions and encourage the sharing of personal experiences and interests. When certain milestones and achievements arrive, celebrate them together.

Just because you're not in the same physical space doesn't mean you can't socialise with your colleagues. Taking part in virtual team-building activities or even just informal chats can help you to know your colleagues better, and vice versa; such interactions can make work colleagues become genuine friends.

In addition, it’s often the case that even though a job is remote, many work colleagues live in the same town or city, so it’s always worth seeing if a monthly meet-up can be arranged. This can eliminate some of the isolating pressures that come with working solely from home and create strong alliances with our geographically closest workmates.

Respect and set your boundaries

Of course, while being proactive and friendly in your interactions with your colleagues, it’s still important to respect their personal and professional boundaries, particularly when they are blurred in a remote-working environment.

By fostering mutual understanding and support regarding boundaries, you create an atmosphere of respect and empathy that strengthens professional relationships and enhances overall team togetherness.

Applying for remote jobs on SecsintheCity

Building alliances in a remote work environment requires a conscious effort to communicate effectively, show empathy, and respect boundaries. By adopting these strategies, you can foster strong alliances that will help you succeed in your professional journey. Remember, the key to building work allies, whether remote or in-person, lies in mutual respect, understanding, and collaboration.

With an understanding of the challenges of creating lasting alliances with your colleagues in remote working environments and the ways to overcome them, it’s worth looking at the kind of remote opportunities that are available on SecsintheCity. Set a job alert for the latest remote and hybrid PA, EA and Office Manager roles and upload your CV to get headhunted for top homeworking vacancies.