There are many misconceptions about remote working. The question of whether remote working will hurt your career is a result of the media creating clickbait articles to attract you to their website.

This type of content is on the rise as more people are looking for ways to escape the office, and right now, remote working is still a trending topic.

Also, the cynical side of me cannot help but think that big corporations who spend big on news outlets are pushing this narrative because they are worried about losing control and not being able to micromanage their workforce. Like I said, that’s my cynical view but let’s get into answering the question.

Will remote working hurt my career growth?

No, certainly not, but please read on and let me prove why.

In the 8 years of being a remote worker for various sized remote companies, colleagues have continued to be promoted and progress in their careers.

Of course, you are less visible working at home, but well-run remote companies have excellent communication channels where performance is rewarded.

An employee who is working from home and underperforming is not going to find themselves advancing their career.

The only advantage is that poor performance is found earlier in an office environment. However, this doesn’t mean that career advancement isn’t possible when working from home.

If you have drive and passion and prove that you are a must-have addition to a remote team, you will not hurt your career and progress through the company. As an employee, you are responsible for being a great communicator and ensuring you share your wins within the company.

Use remote tools to share your wins

Great remote companies will introduce tools where you can share how you feel your week went, and as a remote worker, it’s essential to share your wins at work so that the team and management are aware.

Don’t be shy about celebrating successes.

Some remote workers do not progress in their careers due to their own performance and the company’s half-arsed approach to remote working.

Sorry to be blunt, but if you work remotely in a company and have limited career opportunities, get out. These companies will lose their best talent to fully-distributed companies embracing remote working.

Research the company before applying

This is why when you are searching for a job, you do your research on the company. Does the company openly discuss their work culture within its website content? Head to Glassdoor and browse any reviews and look out for red flags.

How does the founder(s) come across on social media? This is a good clue into the behaviour of the people behind the company and how they engage online.

Use LinkedIn to look at staff turnover

Use LinkedIn and find employees who are working for the company. Then, look at their work experience. Have they progressed through the company? Have employees been there long, or is it a company with a big employee turnover?

Search for the company on remote job boards. Do you see a common trend of jobs being continuously advertised?

Ask career progression questions in the interview

When you’re being interviewed for a remote job, ask questions about career progression and how they communicate wins within the company. Did the response fill you with excitement, or was the response not very inspiring?

So, no, remote working does not hurt your career growth

What does hurt your career growth is a company that has not implemented remote working property because they want to continue to micromanage and watch over their employees rather than trust them.

Hopefully, this mini-guide has helped answer the question, will remote working hurt my career growth. Any progression depends on your performance and communication skills to highlight wins.