# Improving Remote Work as a Software Engineer

DevFeed: [Improving Remote Work as a Software Engineer](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/improving-remote-work-as-a-software-engineer-21075.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://jakeyesbeck.com/2018/02/18/improving-remote-work-as-a-software-engineer/>)

Published: 2018-02-18T12:00:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Jake Yesbeck](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/jake-yesbeck.md>)

Topics: [Software Engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/software-engineering.md>), [Messaging](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/messaging.md>), [Development](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/development.md>)

Tags: [communication](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/communication.md>), [remote](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/remote.md>), [remote-work](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/remote-work.md>), [software-engineer](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/software-engineer.md>), [team](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/team.md>), [tips](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/tips.md>), [work](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/work.md>), [workflow](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/workflow.md>)

## AI overview

This article shares practical lessons for remote software engineers, especially those who are the only or one of few remote members of their team. It focuses on maintaining presence through consistent, relevant communication, such as concise chat updates or brief daily status emails covering progress, blockers, and deadlines.

## Source excerpt

After working in the Bay Area for many years, I decided that being able to afford a house was something I'd like to do. That and family led me back to the East Coast and a new chapter of my career began: Remote Software Engineering. Transitioning to working remotely in any profession has its challenges. After a few years as a remote software engineer, I have learned many things that don't work and a few that do. Most of the things that didn't work helped point me in the direction to those that do and hopefully these bits of insight can help others. These tips are most relevant to someone who is the only or one of few remote engineers on their team. Presence The largest and most obvious challenge one will face as a remote software engineer is a lack of presence. In an office, people can have small side conversations, ask about one another's weekends, or simply say "hello" in the hallway. While seemingly inconsequential, these tiny interactions establish presence. Maintaining presence is important if an engineer is a member of a team or has many stakeholders in their work. Presence can make the difference between being perceived as "a member of team" as opposed to "that one person who works on... What is it they do again?". The former helps a person feel unified with the team they work for, the mission they are striving towards, and the product they are building; the latter is hollow and temporary. So how does a remote software engineer maintain presence? With consistent yet relevant communication. Whether a company uses Hipchat, Slack, Google Hangouts, or another chat application, instant communication should already be baked into an organization's workflow and can be utilized to establish presence. While over-communication is rarely valuable, sending short and well constructed messages about current progress or next steps helps keep team members informed and questions answered. If instant messaging isn't on the menu, status emails might do well in its place. There is