Remote Skills Checklist – Essential Abilities for Success

With remote work becoming increasingly common, more and more people are seeking work-from-home jobs. However, not everyone is prepared for the challenges of working remotely, such as handling tasks with minimal supervision. Cultivating remote skills, such as self-discipline, can help you tackle these challenges and boost your productivity, career success, and professional growth.

Whether you’re a seasoned remote worker or someone dreaming of landing their first remote role, keep reading—in this article, we will share a remote skills checklist to help you excel in the virtual work environment.

5 Essential Remote Work Skills

Every position comes with specific role-related skill requirements. However, to excel as a work-from-home employee, you should also have strong remote work abilities, such as self-discipline, communication, and tech proficiency.

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Here’s a remote skills checklist that encompasses the essential qualities you need to stay productive and thrive while working from home:

#1. Self-Discipline & Time Management

According to Buffer’s 2023 State of Remote Work report, 58% of remote workers see flexibility as the biggest benefit of working remotely. While remote roles allow you to choose your preferred work location and, if you’re lucky, your schedule, staying focused and productive can be challenging when there’s no one looking over your shoulder.

This is precisely why self-discipline and self-motivation are critical remote skills; as a remote worker, you should be able to get your job done with little to no supervision. Time management is just as important: meeting deadlines without sacrificing your work-life balance is key to thriving in a remote work environment.

#2. Communication Skills

Effective communication is among the most important soft skills across all industries, and remote work is no different. As a remote worker, you should know how to get your thoughts across clearly and succinctly via email, instant messages, and video calls, among other relevant communication methods.

Developing cultural awareness is also essential, as many remote teams operate globally. Paired with strong written and verbal communication skills, cultural competence can help you avoid miscommunication and foster a positive, stress-free, and inclusive work environment.

#3. Tech Proficiency

Tech proficiency is an indispensable remote skill. While you don’t have to be a tech buff, you should be comfortable with any remote tools your company uses to collaborate, manage work progress, and get the work done.

Some examples of tools remote workers should be familiar with include:

File-sharing tools (e.g., Google Drive and Dropbox)
Video conferencing software, such as Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams
Project management and collaboration tools like Trello, Slack, Asana, and ClickUp

If you’re looking to land a remote job, don’t forget to tailor your resume to a specific job ad and list any tools the company mentions in the job description to boost your chances.

#4. Problem-Solving & Adaptability

As a remote worker, you might not always have someone to consult with right away when things don’t go as planned. Therefore, you’ll inevitably run into situations where you’ll have to make decisions or tackle problems without much (or any) other people’s guidance.

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For this reason, adaptability, strong problem-solving skills, and analytical thinking can be critical to your success in a remote workplace. In fact, most companies offering remote work expect their employees to be comfortable working and solving problems independently or with little supervision.

#5. Collaboration & Teamwork

The last item on our remote skills checklist—collaboration and teamwork—may come as a surprise for some. After all, most remote workers tackle their tasks independently in the comfort of their own home.

However, this doesn’t mean you won’t have to cooperate with others. On the contrary, remote teams are often quite large and cross-cultural, making willingness to collaborate with others non-negotiable. Also, the best remote workers are not only team-oriented but also capable of finding ways to work efficiently across different time zones.

The Importance of Productivity and Work-Life Balance

Striking a middle ground between productivity and work-life balance is one of the key challenges of remote work, yet it should be your top priority. Otherwise, your work performance may take a hit or, alternatively, bring you to the brink of workplace burnout.

Here are some tips that can help you maintain a healthy work-life balance while working remotely:

Set boundaries with your loved ones to minimize interruptions.
Create a dedicated workspace to separate work from your personal life.
Schedule regular breaks to rest, have lunch, exercise, and refresh your mind.
If your job offers a flexible schedule, set precise work hours and inform your colleagues about your availability.
Disconnect from work once you’re done for the day and avoid checking emails or messages outside work hours.

How to Assess & Improve Your Remote Skills

There are various online resources and self-assessment tools you can use to assess your remote skills. Employers often use tools like digital skills tests, critical thinking tests, or even personality tests to evaluate candidates’ competencies when seeking the right people to fill remote positions.

If you believe your remote skills are sub-par, it’s never too late to improve them. There’s no shortage of online courses—such as those offered at Grow with Google—designed to help people prepare for and excel at remote work. Many of these also come with certificates you can add to your resume to stand out from other candidates!

Final Thoughts

Work from home is, without a doubt, the future of work. The skills needed to land remote roles and excel in them may change as digitalization and automation continue to shape and reshape the job market.

If you master the abilities listed in our remote skills checklist, though, you can rest assured you’ll be ready to reap the benefits of remote work. Still, don’t forget to continuously evaluate and improve your remote skills—this will help you secure long-term career success and stay competitive in the ever-changing work landscape!