London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Oct 04, 2026

How to get along with your boss while working remotely

How to get along with your boss while working remotely

There's one person at work you need to have a good relationship with for the sake of your career: your boss.

But not all of us do.

And working remotely could cause additional strain to an already-tense relationship.

"If the conflict is around work, then working remotely may actually make things worse or at best, create a certain amount of confusion," said Marie McIntyre, a career coach in Atlanta and author of "Secrets to Winning at Office Politics."

If you found your boss to be annoying, working separately might actually improve the relationship.

A change in work settings could also be a good opportunity to redefine your relationship with your boss. Here's how to get started:

Determine the problem


Figuring out what the issue is between you and your boss is the first step toward mending the relationship.

There are usually three reasons that cause a rift between a boss and a worker: work quality, loyalty or team player issues, and a difference in personality or work style, according to Steve Arneson, author of "What Your Boss Really Wants From You."

If the problem is your performance, then making an effort to improve will go a long way. Look for ways to go beyond expectations, hit deadlines early and help with other team projects.

Start taking on more responsibility, raise your hand for new projects and ask your boss for ways you can help ease their workload.

If the issue concerns loyalty or being a team player, Arneson suggests showing support to the boss and company and trying to be more supportive and collaborative with your colleagues.

"Lean in to this issue in a very positive, public manner so they see you turning this around," he said.

If it's a difference in work styles, take some time to self-reflect and try to be more adaptable to other people's work preferences.

If you can't determine the root of the problem on your own, Arneson suggested approaching your boss and saying something like: 'Our relationship isn't at a point where I'd like it to be, can we chat about that?'

Hopefully that gets the ball rolling. If not, ask a trusted peer with the same boss about what they think the root cause might be.

Know their work style


If your boss prefers emailing over meeting and you are constantly calling them, that's going to cause an issue.

If you don't already know your boss' work preferences, use this new world of remote work to your advantage.

"This is a great time to have a conversation with your boss and team about how they prefer to work," said Mary Abbajay, president of Careerstone Group and author of "Managing Up: How to Move Up, Win at Work, and Succeed with Any Type of Boss."

Take a look at what has and hasn't worked while working remotely over the past several months and use that to guide the conversation. Maybe your boss prefers longer weekly check-ins instead of short daily ones or would rather hop on the phone to chat real quick than discuss an issue over Slack.

Set expectations


If you don't know what your boss wants, it's going to be hard to meet expectations.

At the start of a project, McIntyre suggests talking to your boss about how often she wants progress updates, how much she wants to be involved during the process, who else needs to be kept in the loop, along with her priorities and deadline expectations.

If your boss tends to be more hands off and you need more clarity, McIntyre recommends framing the request like: 'It would be helpful to me if we had regular meetings about project XYZ' or 'Can we agree on a time every week to touch base?'

"Initiate the request and put it in terms of how to help you get the work done. Not in terms of how you never communicate with me," she said.

Avoid trust issues


Don't give your boss a reason to think you aren't working hard.

Trust is a big part of working remotely, and some bosses, particularly micro-managers, have a hard time with the shift to not knowing where their employees are.

Many workers have competing priorities working from home right now and many companies are offering flexible schedules, but don't leave your boss guessing about when you will and won't be available.

"Make sure they know your schedule," said Abbajay. "If someone is trying to reach you and they can't, they often assume the worst."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Police Release Six Iranian Nationals on Bail After RAF Fairford Security Alert
UK Business Confidence Falls as Energy Costs and Tax Uncertainty Rise
Cornwall Insight Warns UK Energy Bills Could Rise 16% in January
UK Introduces Zero VAT on Household Electricity Bills
UK 30-Year Gilt Yield Hits 6% as Bond Market Pressures Intensify
UK Introduces Stricter Subcontractor Checks and Expanded Trade Union Access
Green Party Proposes Three-Year Emergency Freeze on Private Rent Increases
UK Treasury Committee Seeks Tax Clarification Over Manchester City Investigation
Royal Marines Deploy to Faroe Islands for Northern European Security Exercise
UK Business Confidence Weakens as High Costs Delay Investment
UK GDP Growth Revised Up to 0.5% in Second Quarter
Bank of England Warns of Financial Stability Risks From Autonomous AI
UK Expands Early Prisoner Release Scheme to Ease Overcrowding
UK Records Worst Bluetongue Outbreak on Record Across Livestock Farms
UK Government Faces Shrinking Fiscal Headroom Ahead of October 28 Budget
UK 30-Year Gilt Yield Reaches 6% as Energy Shock Drives Borrowing Costs Higher
Church of England to Apologize for Role in Historical Forced Adoptions
UK Defence Ministry Investigates Historical Use of RAF Bases by Jeffrey Epstein
Scottish Housing Completions Fall to 11-Year Low
Welsh First Minister Calls for Expanded Devolution Settlement
UK Pledges £50 Million to Expand Domestic Military Drone Capabilities
UK Opens First Commercial Geothermal Plant in Cornwall
Green Party Wins Gorton and Denton By-Election as Labour Falls to Third
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Opens Review of UK-EU Relationship
UK Inflation Rises to 3.1%, Adding Pressure on Household Finances
UK Removes VAT From Domestic Electricity Bills to Ease Winter Energy Costs
Counterterrorism Police Arrest Sixth Suspect Over RAF Fairford Incident
UK Councils to Receive Sweeping Planning Powers to Ban New Vape and Betting Shops
Chancellor John Healey Faces Tax and Pension Scrutiny Ahead of Autumn Budget
Metropolitan Police Apologise for Accidental Disclosure in High-Profile Investigation
UK Universities Report Record International Enrolment as Housing Pressure Grows
UK Logistics Firms Monitor Rhine Disruption as Low Water Threatens European Supply Chains
UK Food Industry Warns Inflation Could Approach 7%
UK Introduces Vaping Duty and Mandatory Retail Stamps
Scotland Raises Property Taxes and Expands Child Payment in Annual Budget
Greggs Plans Four Factory Closures With 740 Jobs at Risk
OECD Raises UK 2026 Growth Forecast to 1.1%
UK Inflation Rises to 3.1% as Bank of England Faces Rate Debate
Andy Burnham Criticises Brexit and Says Rejoining EU Single Market Remains an Option
UK Imposes New Sanctions on Russian Military Networks and Propagandists
UK Launches Nationwide Early-Release Prison Scheme
Andy Burnham Says Security Services See Signs of Iranian Involvement in RAF Fairford Incident
Manchester City Found Guilty on Premier League Financial Charges After Independent Investigation
Scottish Court to Rule on Bid to Force No-Confidence Vote Against Aberdeen Council Co-Leader
UK Bans Extra Charges for Seating Children Under 12 Beside Accompanying Adults
UK Introduces Vaping Duty and New Licensing Requirements
Greggs to Close Four UK Factories and Cut 740 Jobs
Hundreds of Prisoners Released Early as England and Wales Prisons Reach 98% Capacity
UK Unveils New Russia Sanctions Targeting War Funding and Shadow Fleet
Burnham Says There Are Strong Indications of Iranian Involvement in RAF Fairford Security Breach
×