How to stay visible at work when you can’t be there in person

By Sierra Shepherd* 

I began as a new employee with CHAMP in October 2019. When I joined the team, I knew part of my role was to be a central resource for CHAMP staff. So staying visible at work is one of my primary job duties. (It’s also a personal aim to help me reach my career goals.) Then came the pandemic shutdown in March. I had to go back to the drawing board to find ways to be visible while the office is closed—and continue to establish myself as a relatively new employee. I’ve learned so much in the last few months (including how to work from home full time)! Writing this helps me stay visible—and share some info I hope might help others.

Visibility—the state of being seen or the ability to be seen—is a priority for many employees in professional settings. Employees take pride in being able to position themselves as committed and reliable, to show up. But what happens when the ability to be at work on-site is unforeseeably challenged? 

During these unprecedented times of COVID-19, we’ve been met with the new reality of reconstructing nearly every facet of our lives. As a result, communities across the world have needed to get creative about how they maintain their daily routines. 

Many in-person interactions once readily at our fingertips have seemingly slipped through our grasps in the name of social distancing and self-quarantining. Verbal exchanges in conference rooms have been replaced by virtual meetings in living rooms. And leaders across many fields have implemented tactics to keep their day-to-day procedures and do business as close to “as usual” as possible. 

With the reduction of in-person human interaction and office comradery, maintaining visibility amongst our colleagues might be a challenge. But it’s still quite possible. Here are 3 tips to maintaining visibility in the workplace during social distancing.

1. Diversify how you communicate with your colleagues. Get creative with how you interact. Video meetings are more prevalent than ever, allowing you to interact face-to-face with colleagues—and maintain some sense of normalcy. Also, placing a simple phone call can keep the lines of communication open. A warm phone call with a coworker can go a long way toward promoting effective communication. And communicate regularly by scheduling weekly, biweekly, and monthly check-ins with colleagues. Use the time for work-related chats—and to check in on the well-being of others as you journey through social distancing together.
2. Attend all virtual social events that promote comradery. It’s easy to feel like you’re losing your sense of “work” identity when you aren’t physically there. But team building is vital. When you take the time to support healthy relationships among team members and set a clear picture of what you expect and how their work matters, you can help keep everyone engaged and performing at their best.​ 
3. Don’t shy away from group-based projects. In preparation for these virtual water-cooler meetings, brainstorm topics and themes that might be discussed. Think of creative and inclusionary topics such as discussing current hobbies, dressing up for a particular theme, sharing pictures of children or pets, or something as simple as chatting about weekend plans. Try to show up as much as possible, engage with others, and have fun!

As you begin to integrate back into the office, think of the transition as a refresher course on your company’s policies and procedures. With the new reality of mask wearing and social distancing, we’ll all need to follow some new rules to ensure everyone’s safety. Acquainting yourself with your company’s updated day-to-day processes can help you ease back into the workplace. It can also help you show your initiative, dedication, respect for your colleagues, and commitment to safety are top priorities—qualities your teammates are likely to notice. 

About the Author
Sierra Shepherd, of the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, is an Administrative Assistant for the Consortium for Health and Military Performance (CHAMP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS). 

* The opinions and assertions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of USUHS or DoD. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. Mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. The author has no financial interests or relationships to disclose.