Most employees don’t sound empathetic while communicating online. And this should come as no surprise because business communication is usually not on top of the list when it comes to learning and development for employees. This usually sets up spectacles where miscommunication leads to misunderstanding, leading to conflicts and office politics. Lack of mutual understanding, respect, and trust are the biggest perpetrators in such scenarios.

If you don’t like someone in a leadership position, then they could come up with the most intriguing, thought-out plan in the history of plans, and you’ll probably still find fault with it. You might roll your eyes or gossip with your co-workers about how their plan will never come to fruition. Without mutual respect, you’re certainly not going to give it your hundred percent, and this is not a good place for any leader, as this means that their power to influence you is weak.

That being said, the same also applies to you when you are the one trying to influence others. Your climb up the mountain will be much harder if you’re working with people who don’t feel a positive emotional connection to you.

Toiling yourself away to achieve your targets won’t necessarily guarantee you a promotion or a hike in salary in today’s world. This is also relevant to the current scenario where maintaining work relationships has taken a toll due to frequent lockdowns.

At Intercell, we provide online mentoring for learning and development for employees so that they can advance their careers the way they want to. Our virtual mentors are always available to help you gain unique insights and career trends. We also provide career counseling to help you out with issues like power dynamics and how you can manage office politics.

4 ways how you can master the art of office politics when there is no office:

Build Empathetic Relationships and Rapport

If you are good at forging relationships with your team members, then you are at an advantage. Like how in your absence, your family will defend if someone tries to sling mud at you, your trustworthy teammates will take your side if someone indulges in any kind of skullduggery. Helping your teammates whenever they ask, connecting with them off work, and sharing interests are some of the ways you can make sure that your team members view you more than someone who is only there spewing commands.

Building a sterling rapport will also help you dictate influence. Your reputation is something that precedes you at the workplace. At work, you need to create a positive perspective of yourself so that whenever someone thinks of you, he/she sees you as an asset, a problem solver, or someone who will get the job done. If you have an excellent reputation, then it acts like a shield against any of your insecure teammate’s conspiracies.

Be Visible and Available

As the saying goes, “out of sight, out of mind,” your boss, too, would start taking you for granted if he is not made aware of your efforts daily. Your boss might notice you working away at typical workplaces, but during WFH, he can only see your online activity and involvement in daily work-related affairs. So marketing your work and yourself has become crucial.

Document your work meticulously and let your co-workers and your superiors know what you are doing. Helping your teammates in need will also leave a lasting impact as they would know that you are always there to lend a helping hand.

Start Networking

The first thing to learn in office politics, or politics in general, is that power comes to those who have the numbers to back them up. But that doesn’t mean that you need to have the entire office to help you out in the hour of need, it would definitely help, but it’s not necessary. Business is not at all a democracy. The power lies within the pecking order, and the higher your network is, the more influence you’ll have.

Master Online Communication

With queues from body language, online communication is actually harder than it seems. Words can actually take different meanings if you didn’t know that already, and there is always a chance that your message got lost in the translation. A simple ‘Hello’ from your boss at odd hours can make you anxious if you are already buried under piles of work. In such situations, it is better to stop and introspect when you think someone has wronged you. Similarly, being a little bit more thoughtful before sending out any emails or personal messages would go a long way.

Five Ways To Keep Up With The Changing Career Trends

Staying up to date is not an easy task in any industry, but being aware of recent changes can keep you ahead of the curve. Following are some of the tricks you can employ to keep up to date with the latest challenges, opportunities, and trends that concern your career:

1. Networking

Just like helping you out with office politics, some healthy dose of networking can also make sure that you are up to date about any advancements in your line of work. It can also open up new gateways for alternate career options.

2. Observe your competitors

There is a reason why almost every professional sports outfit observes its opponent’s footage before the game. They do it to find any chinks in their armor. This might sound easier than what it actually is, but it cannot hurt to take a look.

3. Invest in Continuing Education and Certification

Learning a new software platform before it becomes popular, getting into certification programs, staying on top of market trends by getting online mentoring, or opting for classes facilitating Learning and development for employees can increase your income and designation within your line of business.

Check out the top career skills which are in-demand amid the current pandemic.

4. Keep an Eye Out for Professional Events

Professional events allow you to get in touch with leading experts in a particular industry. This helps with networking and helps you share ideas with people who can provide accurate insights and perspectives.

5. Make Use of Online Resources

Virtual mentoring and employee training and development from industry experts can also help you stay current on the latest career trends. Careers in IT are on the rise because many of them involve knowledge that can be acquired via online courses, which are often free of cost.

Regardless of the tactic you choose, enhancing your knowledge and skills in your field shows your employers and your clients that you are well informed and dedicated. At Intercell, our mentoring programs help with overall training and development of employees and set them up for efficiency. Our virtual mentors provide relevant career guidance, skills, and knowledge that help with optimum learning and development for employees career and corporate growth. Contact us if you are interested in learning more about how careers after covid-19’s post-pandemic world would look like.