London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

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
Good News: Senate Confirms Kash Patel as FBI Director
Officials from the U.S. and Hungary Engage in Talks on Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
James Bond Franchise Transitions to Amazon MGM Studios
Technology Giants Ramp Up Lobbying Initiatives Against Strict EU Regulations
Alibaba Exceeds Quarterly Projections Fueled by Growth in Cloud and AI
Tequila Sector Faces Surplus Crisis as Agave Prices Dive Sharply
Residents of Flintshire Mobile Home Park Grapple with Maintenance Issues and Uncertain Future
Ronan Keating Criticizes Irish Justice System Following Fatal Crash Involving His Brother
Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat Restaurant Faces Unprecedented Theft
Israeli Family Mourns Loss of Peace Advocate Oded Lifschitz as Body Returned from Gaza
Former UK Defense Chief Calls for Enhanced European Support for Ukraine
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Rising Succession Speculation
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, at the age of 83, Declares His Retirement.
Whistleblower Reveals Whitehall’s Focus on Kabul Animal Airlift Amid Crisis
Politicians Who Deliberately Lie Could Face Removal from Office in Wales
Scottish Labour Faces Challenges Ahead of 2026 Holyrood Elections
Leftwing Activists Less Likely to Work with Political Rivals, Study Finds
Boris Johnson to Host 'An Evening with Boris Johnson' at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
Planned Change in British Citizenship Rules Faces First Legal Challenge
Northumberland Postal Worker Sentenced for Sexual Assaults During Deliveries
British Journalist Missing in Brazil for 11 Days
Tesco Fixes Website Glitch That Disrupted Online Grocery Orders
Amnesty International Critiques UK's Predictive Policing Practices
Burglar Jailed After Falling into Home-Made Trap in Blyth
Sellafield Nuclear Site Exits Special Measures for Physical Security Amid Ongoing Cybersecurity Concerns
Avian Influenza Impact on Seals in Norfolk: Four Deaths Confirmed
First Arrest Under Scotland's Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Law Amidst International Controversy
Meghan Markle Rebrands Lifestyle Venture as 'As Ever' Ahead of Netflix Series Launch
Inter-Island Ferry Services Between Guernsey and Jersey Set to Expand
Significant Proportion of Cancer Patients in England and Wales Not Receiving Recommended Treatments
Final Consultation Launched for Vyrnwy Frankton Power Line Project
Drug Misuse Deaths in Scotland Rise by 12% in 2023
Failed £100 Million Cocaine Smuggling Operation in the Scottish Highlands
Central Cee Equals MOBO Awards Record; Bashy and Ayra Starr Among Top Honorees
EastEnders: Four Decades of Challenging Social Norms
Jonathan Bailey Channels 'Succession' in Bold Richard II Performance
Northern Ireland's First Astronaut Engages in Rigorous Spacewalk Training
Former Postman Sentenced for Series of Sexual Offences in Northumberland
Record Surge in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Across the UK in 2024
Omagh Bombing Inquiry Concludes Commemorative Hearings with Survivor Testimonies
UK Government Introduces 'Ronan's Law' to Combat Online Knife Sales to Minors
Metal Detectorists Unearth 15th-Century Coin Hoard in Scottish Borders
Woman Charged in 1978 Death of Five-Year-Old Girl in South London
Expanding Sinkhole in Godstone, Surrey, Forces Evacuations and Road Closures
Bangor University Announces Plans to Cut 200 Jobs Amid £15 Million Savings Target
British Journalist Charlotte Peet Reported Missing in Brazil
UK Inflation Rises to 3% in January Amid Higher Food Prices and School Fees
Starmer Defends Zelensky Amidst Trump's 'Dictator' Allegation
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace Efforts in Light of Strains with Trump
UK Prime minister, Mr. Keir Starmer, has stated that any peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine "MUST" include a US security guarantee to deter Russian aggression
×