Flexible work options are among the most sought-after employee benefits, with some professionals even turning down roles that don’t offer them.However, remote work requires a different skill set - one which can make the difference between career advancement or stagnation.
Here are the key considerations you’ll need to make as an employee in a remote or hybrid role and four success strategies you can deploy.
Why does the hybrid work model require different skills?
The office is the nucleus of a business - an environment in which your skills and abilities are experienced in-person by colleagues. Studies have shown that when those environments are taken away, proximity bias can set in.
According to a 2025 peer-reviewed study, even when managers know that their fully remote employee performs to the same standard as their in-office employee, the remote worker is still less likely to receive a promotion or a raise, due to the perception that they’re less committed. Because of this, remote work requires you to signal your commitment and productivity in other ways.
Read: How to make a successful flexible working request
Tips for working from home: 4 strategies for career success
1. Stay vocal and visible
Communication becomes more important than ever when you aren’t sharing the same physical space as your colleagues. You’ll need to rely on active listening and show engagement through your facial expressions during video calls. Make full use of the ‘status’ functionality in communication and collaboration apps and update them regularly to reflect your current availability.
Remote and hybrid working also require excellent written communication skills. Emails and messages should be clear, to the point, and as helpful as possible, with links and resources provided as and when needed. It’s also vital to be available for ad hoc meetings, as spontaneous interactions are essential for good mental health and business success.
2. Demonstrate productivity and good time management
While three in four (74%) hybrid workers felt they were more productive, employers fall victim to the ‘perception gap,’ with 36% of SMB leaders agreeing that remote or hybrid working has decreased productivity. You can overcome the perception gap using workflow platforms such as Asana, Hey Monday, or Trello, which allow team members to track progress.
It’s also a good idea to keep your calendar visible to colleagues and to engage in weekly meetings in which you share your schedule and goals. While it’s critical to be accessible, it’s also important to safeguard time for deep work, which you can block out in your calendar.
3. Take charge of your own career progression
Remote or hybrid employees can succumb to the ‘visibility penalty’ inherent in managerial proximity bias. To succeed on par with in-office colleagues, you’ll need to create your own opportunities. Come to 1:1 meetings and appraisals armed with colleague testimonials and reports or screenshots which prove your goals and KPIs have been reached.
Use appraisals as an opportunity to discuss career progression and any training you’d like to do. Have a clear understanding of what you’d like to learn and why, how this can be achieved in a remote setting, and stay accountable by providing progress updates.
Read: Skills in demand for the 2026 hiring market
4. Contribute to workplace culture
The erosion of workplace culture is a major concern for employers; 65% of SMB leaders are ‘not very confident’ in their ability to maintain company culture in a remote or hybrid environment. Workers have concerns, too - 46% worry about missing out on building relationships with coworkers.
Contributing to company culture can add significant value to your CV while also increasing your visibility. Joining employee network groups or clubs, partaking in charity initiatives, attending work events, or putting your hand up for mentorship programmes are all excellent ways to get involved.
Remote work tips: practical advice you can action now
Create a folder on your desktop to store good feedback from colleagues and evidence of wins or completed goals.Make a list of the employee network groups, clubs, initiatives, or volunteer programmes available and assess for fit.Set a reminder to ask for feedback on your next piece of work or project.Establish your own sign-off routine to signal the end of the week or day. This can include sending a final update, closing apps, and changing your status to ‘away’ or ‘offline’.
