Many companies got a taste of a pandemic-induced distributed workforce. As we know, many have opted to make it a permanent part of working life. There are various responses to this. Tech writers are uniquely suited to successful remote work.
“Businesses don’t need a physical office space with four walls to create a company culture.” So says remote-work champion Carlos Silva, who runs the minimalist and popular Hello Remote newsletter, which lists remote-only jobs. Savvy organizations are employee-facing when they take steps to understand what is needed in a successful remote life. They weigh the output of remote employees with the cost savings of on-prem employee needs, which includes everything from energy usage to the amount of sick time taken as a result of being in the office. (I have never been healthier since I started working from home!) Employers will mentor managers who previously managed by walking around and talking face-to-face with employees. They will understand that extroverted employees may need more tools in order to be successful. They will take care not to create work silos. They will creatively provide solutions to the issues of remote work, which can include lower innovation or variances in communication.
Communication tools and practices will be carefully considered and adjusted, and a successful organization will recognize that there’s often no perfect solution. Adjustments will be made as appropriate. And employers will highlight the successes of a distributed workforce and the positives it brings to the organization overall.
Now let’s look at the ways tech writers are particularly excellent remote employees:
Tech writers are suited to work autonomously. Writing often requires bouts of concentration. In the office, this was solved with closed doors or noise-cancelling earphones. At home, the focus is higher because the environment is controlled. Tech writers are more suited to longer stretches of autonomous work by training.
Tech writers are professional communicators. That means we already understand the value of a supportive, communicative team. No writer is perfect, and getting feedback from team and manager is a part of the job. But we know how to interview team members at all levels and job function, so we’re already positioned well to communicate across departments.
Tech writers are structured. A good tech writer already follows documentation best practices in outlining and structuring documents, so we know structure. We love it! We embrace structure in an organization. Many of us respond to ambiguity by applying structured responses.
Tech writers are excellent project managers. There’s a reason that project management was a focus in my graduate degree studies in technical communication: it’s an extension of structure and it’s essential. In a remote work culture, being able to manage and balance projects is key, especially because we often deal with several writing projects at a time. I am often asked by potential employers how I manage my workloads. My answer is always this: I know exactly what my week will look like, and therefore my days. I keep sight of the overall project outlook, which informs the details. Using Kanban-style boards like Jira to manage this is even more granular and perfect for remote work.
