<p>It’s hard to figure out for managers what kind of people make the best, most productive remote employees.</p>
<p><em>Optimism is the quality to look for, while the trait to avoid is people-pleasing. These two can look similar, and a good manager knows how to separate the two.</em></p>

Remote Employees

<p><strong>Self-motivation is a great quality for remote workers</strong>, as they are at home, only accessible through email or through video conferencing to the manager.</p>
<p>High levels of enthusiasm, a positive approach and choice of words provide clues to the manager if someone has an optimistic frame of mind.</p>

Optimists

<p>If a manager is getting to hear only what is pleasant to hear, at all times, it can be a cause for concern. Remote employees must be willing to say things that aren’t going right, and most of the time, there are many such things. <strong>If they can disagree with you, it’s a good sign</strong>.</p>
<p>Also, if an employee is going out of the way to be liked by colleagues, and wastes a lot of time and mental energy on it, he/she is probably a people pleaser.</p>

People Pleasers

Some of the best advice to make building a remote team easier.

teamwork

Teamwork

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Leadership & Management

remotework

Remote Work

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

technologyandthefuture

Technology & The Future

Hiring Without an Office

<div><span><span dir="ltr">By <a title="Read more Inc. articles by Minda Zetlin" href="https://www.inc.com/author/minda-zetlin" dir="ltr">Minda Zetlin</a>, Co-author, The Geek Gap</span></span></div><div><span><span>@MindaZetlin</span></span></div><figure><picture><source media="(max-width:600px)" srcset="https://www.incimages.com/uploaded_files/image/970x450/GettyImages-1220854439_427225.jpg"><source media="(min-width:601px)" srcset="https://www.incimages.com/uploaded_files/image/1920x1080/GettyImages-1220854439_427225.jpg"><img src="https://www.incimages.com/uploaded_files/image/1920x1080/GettyImages-1220854439_427225.jpg" alt="Best and Worst Qualities for Remote Employees" width="635" height="357"></picture><figcaption dir="auto">Getty Images</figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr">What sorts of people make the best <a href="http://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/what-do-remote-workers-do-all-day-6-ways-to-keep-them-engaged-and-productive.html" dir="ltr">remote employees</a>? There's one important quality you should look for -- optimism. There's a second quality you should avoid -- people pleasing. Unfortunately, the two can seem very similar, and it's sometimes hard to tell the difference between them.</p><p>Here's why you want one and not the other, and how to tell them apart.</p><h2>1. Why you should look for&nbsp;optimists.</h2><p dir="ltr">The number-one quality most experts say to look for in a remote employee is <a href="https://www.inc.com/dom-price/dont-hire-remote-workers-who-cant-ace-these-6-interview-questions.html" dir="ltr">self-motivation</a>. And for good reason. Remote employees won't have you there to deliver a pep talk to them and they can't easily drop by to talk to you or a co-worker if they're feeling frustrated or unsure of themselves. Stuck home alone, they need to "arrive at work" every morning with the conviction that what they will do that day matters and that they can do it successfully. That takes optimism, according <a href="https://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/10-killer-interview-questions-for-hiring-remote-employees.html" dir="ltr">Sara Sutton</a>, founder of the remote job search site FlexJobs.&nbsp;</p><p>If you're evaluating someone who works for you, or someone you know, you might already&nbsp;know if that person is an optimist or not. But what if you're just meeting a prospective employee -- probably by phone or videoconference -- for the first time? Sutton recommends asking directly if a job candidate is an optimist; you may get a truthful or at least a useful answer. And when you discuss a candidate's past work experiences, a tendency to either look on the bright side or the dark side may become clear. "That kind of thing never works" or "I knew the project was doomed from the beginning" can clue you in that someone is a pessimist. Compare that with more optimistic statements such as "We gave it our best shot but the timing just wasn't right. I'd love to try it that again someday."</p><h2>2. Why you should avoid people-pleasers.</h2><p>You never want someone who works for you to tell you only what you want to hear, whether he or she works remotely or onsite. But, Sutton says, in a remote work situation, it's harder for a manager to tell whether an employee is feeling confident or concerned.&nbsp;For your company to be successful, remote employees must be willing and able to speak up when they think something is wrong.&nbsp;</p><p dir="ltr">A second, more subtle problem is that remote workers who are too intent on pleasing their bosses or co-workers could <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.socialtalent.com/blog/recruitment/5-essential-qualities-to-look-for-in-a-remote-worker" dir="ltr">waste a lot of time and mental energy</a> fretting about whether they are liked. Because remote work situations don't allow for informal conversations, or for things like a colleague's asking them out to lunch, remote workers can't get many of the usual signals that would tell them who likes them and who doesn't. To be effective, they need to be able to function well without those signals.&nbsp;</p><p>It can be tough to tell if someone is a people pleaser. For example, ask employees or prospective hires if they can meet a tight deadline, and they may answer, "You bet!" But are they being optimistic or are they telling you what they think you want to hear? It's hard to know for sure. Once again, reviewing or discussing past jobs or projects might give you a clue. "I thought there would be a problem but I don't like to make waves so I didn't bring it up" could signal&nbsp;that you're dealing with a people pleaser.&nbsp;</p><p>Sutton also recommends asking prospective remote workers straight out if they are people pleasers. Someone who simply answers no&nbsp;could be a curmudgeon and no fun to work with. So look for a more nuanced response, for example someone who says that they try to get along with everyone, but if they disagree with you on an important issue, they will make sure to say so as nicely as possible. That's&nbsp;exactly the kind of remote employee you want.&nbsp;</p><div>Jun 2, 2020</div><figcaption class="caption" dir="ltr">Like this column? Sign up to <a href="http://mindazetlin.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=67e33298fc4b89d55c13c6b73&amp;id=6d5ad5c365" title="Subscribe to this Inc. author's newsletter for more great content" rel="noreferrer noopener" dir="ltr">subscribe to email alerts</a> and you'll never miss a post.</figcaption><figcaption class="caption">The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.</figcaption><div><span>Read Next</span></div><header><span><span>Verizon Business</span></span></header><header><span><span>Sponsored Content</span></span></header><header dir="ltr"><h2 dir="ltr">How Does 5G Work?</h2><h3 dir="ltr"><span dir="ltr">A new era of connectivity is upon us--and it's going to change just about everything.  </span></h3></header><div><span><span>May 27, 2020</span></span></div><figure><picture><source media="(max-width:600px)" srcset="https://www.incimages.com/uploaded_files/image/970x450/inc-syndicated-articleresize_427877.jpg"><source media="(min-width:601px)" srcset="https://www.incimages.com/uploaded_files/image/1920x1080/inc-syndicated-articleresize_427877.jpg"><img src="https://www.incimages.com/uploaded_files/image/1920x1080/inc-syndicated-articleresize_427877.jpg" alt="How Does 5G Work?" width="635" height="357"></picture></figure><p dir="ltr">The fifth generation of wireless network technology (5G)&nbsp;is a transformative technology enabler that will&nbsp;help&nbsp;usher in&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.verizon.com_about_our-2Dcompany_about-2Dfourth-2Dindustrial-2Drevolution&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=Ftw_YSVcGmqQBvrGwAZugGylNRkk-uER0-5bY94tjsc&amp;r=pBvhaxk135zguPtxtCJquEBbJ2zWtIzJR9cu9q6iHYU&amp;m=vbVDY7s6Xjgw6xv9yKae4OqIoTHAhDBmWXsq8rZniMs&amp;s=RDRm2-lgGIflyVx08ozyxLRVQPalhuBJSdzFyJzcH2Q&amp;e=" dir="ltr">Fourth Industrial Revolution</a>. But how does it work? Each generation improved on the preceding generation, and 5G not only builds on that foundation, but stakes out new ground.&nbsp;</p><h2>How cell data travels today</h2><p>To understand how cell data travels, you first must understand the electromagnetic spectrum, which includes everything from infrared rays to radio waves, X-Rays, visible light, microwaves, and more.</p><p>Cellular technology operates upon the radio spectrum (not visible), which includes frequencies of 3 kilohertz (kHz) to 300 gigahertz (GHz). Most of today's technologies rely on 4G connectivity. This connectivity, which was 500 times faster than its predecessor (3G), operates at between 600 MHz to 2.5 GHz.</p><p>4G's speed helped to fuel many of today's innovations, including the early stages of the Internet of Things (IoT), augmented reality, and autonomous vehicles.</p><p dir="ltr">While some see 5G connectivity as a technology of the future, Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network is already available in <a href="https://www.verizon.com/about/news/verizon-5g-ultra-wideband-service-available-more-cities" dir="ltr"><span dir="ltr">more than 30 cities nationwide</span></a><span dir="ltr">.</span> Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network can carry a remarkably higher volume of data than is possible on today's LTE networks, and that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.verizon.com/about/our-company/5g/what-network-bandwidth" dir="ltr"><span dir="ltr">bandwidth</span></a>&nbsp;is critical for tomorrow's most innovative technologies to take flight.</p><p>In recent tests, Verizon's 5G has performed at five times the speed of 4G. 5G-enabled technologies mean quicker downloads, much lower lag, and a significant impact on how we live, work, and play.</p><p dir="ltr">What does it mean for consumers? The low&nbsp;<a href="https://www.verizon.com/about/our-company/5g/what-network-latency" dir="ltr"><span dir="ltr">latency</span></a>&nbsp;of a 5G network--that is, the time required for a packet of data to travel between two points--can dramatically alter how people interact with data. And that's increasingly necessary in a world where billions of devices will be coming online in the next few years.</p><p>The connectivity benefits of 5G are expected to make businesses more efficient and give consumers access to more information faster than ever before. Connected cars,&nbsp;smart communities,&nbsp;industrial IoT, and&nbsp;immersive education all will rely on 5G.</p><p>Combined, low latency and high bandwidth allow for faster upload and download speeds, opening up a wide range of potential benefits: like people streaming 4K video in seconds, essentially seamless VR experiences, advances in remote medicine, the prospect of adjusting traffic flow in real time, and more.</p><p>The potential of 5G is limited only by an innovator's imagination.</p><h2>How does 5G technology work?</h2><p dir="ltr">Verizon is provisioning its 5G Ultra Wideband network through a combination of deep fiber assets, small cells, and extensive radio wave spectrum holdings. 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An estimated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.verizon.com/about/our-company/5g/what-5g#howfast" dir="ltr">20.4 billion device</a>--whether VR goggles, cloud gaming systems, IoT sensors, or self-driving vehicles--are expected to be online by 2020, and all will be making heavy data demands on the network.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.verizonwireless.com/articles/business/stadium-transformation-verizon-5g/" dir="ltr">5G cannot only make these data-intensive applications</a>&nbsp;viable, but it has the potential to alter the very way data shapes our world.</p><p dir="ltr">Learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.verizon.com/about/our-company/5g/what-5g" dir="ltr">what 5G is</a>, and Verizon's leadership in building out America's first commercial 5G network.</p><div><span>Peak Performance</span></div><div><span>Presented by Whoop</span></div>

Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell them apart.

Two Qualities to Look For--and One to Avoid--When Hiring Remote Employees

Remote Employees

Optimists

People Pleasers

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