According to Statista, more than 5 million people work remotely. It’s no lie that the pandemic changed the working landscape, and its impact can be seen in the increasing number of remote jobs across the UK.

Remote working isn’t for everyone. Some people miss the socialisation, commute, and office environment. Others prefer the comfort of their own home, focus better alone, and find a much better work-life balance. Regardless of your opinion, professionalism levels must be maintained both inside and outside of the office.

There are several ways you can do this. To help you get started, here are five ways you can stay professional while working from home.

Dress the part

When working from home, the temptation to work in your pyjamas can grow. You roll out of bed, land in front of your laptop and can start the day with little effort.

However, this starts an unhealthy habit. By staying in your pyjamas, you risk your brain never leaving sleep mode. It’s proven that wearing professional clothes can help your mindset, so make the effort to get dressed in the morning. Not only will this benefit your workflow, but it will help you look the part during meetings – even if it is just from the waist up!

Create an office

By now, everyone knows the importance of having a dedicated workspace. Working from the couch or the bed is a nice occasional treat but detrimental to posture, productivity, and relaxation.

In addition to having a dedicated space to work, you also need a professional place to work. This means a quiet area away from distractions so no one interrupts an important meeting. It means having a clean and smart backdrop for your online calls. If you can’t remove the piles of washing, clutter, or mess, opt for a fake background to maintain that professional air. Plus, don’t forget the importance of good lighting.

Communicate

Communication is the key to success in every area of life. In romantic relationships, living arrangements, and certainly in the workplace.

By ensuring you reply to messages and emails in a timely manner, you can guarantee a better work environment. It’s also essential to make your working hours clear. It’s useless if your colleague constantly keeps you late since it suits them. You can ensure a healthy work-life balance by clearly stating your working hours and sticking to them.

Top-notch technology

Technology is great… until it’s not. We’ve all been in an online meeting, and the picture freezes. We’ve all been cut off from dodgy Wi-Fi. It’s embarrassing, but it can often be avoided.

Some people hesitate to splurge on fast broadband, but it makes a difference. There’s nothing worse than being in an important meeting only to hear every second word. By ensuring your Wi-Fi can keep up with your work life, you’re ensuring your level of professionalism.

Know meeting etiquette

Adhering to strict online meeting rules is a must for maintaining high professionalism. Things like muting your mic when you’re not talking and turning on your camera can all help online meetings.

However, it’s also crucial to remember the importance of in-person meetings. Depending on the occasion, topic, or people involved, gathering everyone together under one roof can definitely help. Doing so without an office may seem impossible, but it’s common for hotels to have meeting rooms for hire, so a simple search could reveal your next meeting place.

Professionalism isn’t dead

Many people believe remote working is lazy, unprofessional, and leads to bad habits. While this might be true for some people, it isn’t true for everyone.

Home working still has the potential to be very professional. By making small but significant changes, you’re sure to impress clients.  Remember to dress the part, create a smart office environment, communicate, invest in good broadband, and don’t forget to mute yourself! With these tips in mind, you’re sure to remain professional.