Work from home.
I just rolled my eyes on your behalf. You’re welcome.
It seems like it’s been a persistent topic on LinkedIn – another reason to avoid the platform’s social feed – and job searchers’ central complaint when they face the other hundreds of applicants vying for the same remote position.
I’ve been working remotely for about 15 months now, and I have a review: I love it. I love the comfort. I love not packing a bag to go to work. I love not commuting. I love not getting constantly interrupted by people who want to ask one tiny question they could’ve Slacked me and then small talk for 15 minutes. I eat healthier, I exercise more, I get more sleep. I have shockingly not been sick with a cold since I started working from home.
Let’s also not forget that I have a really dysfunctional immune system that once tried to kill me, and a virus that wants to inspire it to get out of control again.
Anyway, over the last year, I’ve had a lot of time to think about how we can be better at this new normal, as a good portion of our lives will be lived online in fully virtual environments. Things are never going to look the same again, and it’s time we start embracing new formats of engaging with people. It’ll never be 2019 again after all. So if you lead anything – meetings at work, small groups at church, friend hangouts – here are some thoughts I’ve jotted down over the months for helping people feel included and loved online.
- This seems pretty straightforward, but include a link and/or phone number to call in to your meeting, even if the expectation is that people will attend in person. Make sure you give options to the people who are afraid to ask for them, who may not want to disclose why they can’t attend in person but really need to.
- Avoid giving your online attendees the “webinar experience.” You might think it’s enough to just stick a camera and a mic in the middle of the room, but if you’re never looking at the camera and engaging online viewers like you do the people in the room, they’re just spectators. Call on people by name who join online, make it easy for people to hear them around the room, ask for responses and ideas in chat from all of your attendees, to name a few ideas.
- Don’t inadvertently promote your hybrid virtual/in-person gathering as if you can’t fully participate unless you come in person. Use inclusive language that tells people they can participate in whatever option meets their unique needs and comfort level.
- Consider offering a separate online cohort of your in-person meeting and promote it with the same excitement as your in person version.
- Move some of your onsite meetings to an online format so everyone in the group is sitting in the same seat in the same format every once in a while.
Disclaimer: if you’re looking for accessibility tips, there are a lot of great articles available for free to help you understand the needs of people with hearing loss and/or blindness. I highly recommend you take a look at those as well before hosting your meeting, especially if you don’t know everyone attending.
Don’t wait for people to tell you they need assistance – show hospitality by being ready and offering inclusive engagement opportunities from the start. The marginalization of people with disabilities and chronic illness is often perpetuated by organizations that wait for people to ask for accommodations before making adjustments. Instead, anticipate them. Invite them. Make it known that your doors (real and virtual) are always open to them.
Thanks in advance from a person who appreciates being seen.
Convergences of Reverie 