Guide to starting a remote job

Many employers are now hiring people to work for them remotely. Starting a remote job will be quite different to starting one face-to-face.

Advice for starting a new job remotely

It is very likely that your experience will be quite different to someone who would have started in the same job before the pandemic began. It’s important to keep this in mind and be patient with yourself. Starting a new job at any time can be challenging as well as exciting.

Know your working rights

It’s important when you are starting a job to know what your rights are. When you sign an employment contract you should read it carefully and make sure it includes all the legal requirements of an employment contract. You should also be aware that if you are only working part-time hours you may be able to claim Jobseeker’s Allowance, although you must be 18 or over. 

Give yourself time

Getting settled into a new job can take time. Be patient with yourself and take the time you need to get to know what’s involved in the role and getting to know those you work with. Remember, no one turns up on the first day and knows everything. Take in the information you can each day and you can always come back to things and ask questions if you need to.

Keep a routine

If you are working from home in your new position try to start as you mean to go on. Settling into a new work routine will be important for you to keep a good work/life balance. You can also read our tips for staying focused while working from home.

Stay in touch with colleagues

Getting to know your colleagues when starting a new job is a good way to get settled in and feel more comfortable. This is likely to be a bit more challenging if you are working from home. It could be a good idea to get in touch with other members of the team and invite them to a virtual coffee so you can have a chat, get to know them and their role. Find out if there are already social video calls happening throughout the week that you can join or any other social groups within the organisation that it would be good to be part of.

Ask for support

It is important to reach out and ask for support in a new job if there is anything you are unsure about. Setting regular check-ins with your manager or other staff members can be a good way to do this. It will help you learn more about the organisation and support you to keep the lines of communication open between you and the rest of your colleagues. It is also a good way of keeping you on track with any goals you set for yourself within the role.

Feeling overwhelmed or anxious about starting a new job?

If you feel overwhelmed and need someone to talk to, our anonymous, 24 hour text line is always open. You’re worth talking about and we’re here to listen and support you.

• Get anonymous support 24/7 with our text message support service
• Connect with a trained volunteer who will listen to you, and help you to move forward feeling better
• Text TALK to 50808 to begin
• Find out more about our text message support service