GENERALLY stated, to work remotely successfully calls for a particular combination of tool set, skill set, and mind set. More specifically, different settings and contexts call for different combinations of tool set, skill set, and mind set. To help you determine which combination best suits your needs, this book is organized into four parts to guide you—be you employee or employer—straight to the information that will help most now, whether you’re just considering working remotely, ready to start out, or perfecting your game.

If the concept of working remotely is new to you, begin with Part I, which relays the primary reasons why both employees and employers have opted to go remote. The Part I EXTRAS are geared toward those uncertain of just how to be effective in the virtual realm; there you’ll find both answers to frequently asked questions and an at-a-glance view of some essential benefits of working on-site—as well as how to replicate them online.

Part II focuses on the details applicable to individuals working remotely. For those just contemplating the leap into remote work, chapter 3 begins with a section on deciding for yourself—after which it addresses what you need to get started. The Part II EXTRAS further the exploration with a questionnaire to help you determine if you’re ready to work remotely—the results of which specify what you’d need to do to get ready. There is also guidance on taking your decision to the next level, be that convincing your boss (or team) or seeking remote employment. Chapter 4 expands the scope to discuss wider concerns: how to work well for yourself, as well as how to work well with others.

Part III begins the consideration of the remote option from the managerial perspective. For companies or departments first venturing into the virtual realm, chapter 5 shares how to prepare for the expansion, while chapter 6 and the Part III EXTRAS cover how to hire remote employees.

Part IV outlines the full range of what it means to manage remote teams. It walks you through how to make the experience productive, effective, and fun for everyone—from assessing how to translate your on-site needs to the online realm to crafting a team agreement on how everyone will work together. Chapter 10 also includes guidelines on running effective meetings, how to experiment in iterations—even how to scale up when the time comes to grow. Among the Part IV EXTRAS is the Manager’s Action Plan, which consolidates the action steps discussed in the individual chapters.

Following the conclusion chapter, the extensive RESOURCES section identifies where to head next, whether you seek details on the plethora of technology & tools available or need more ideas on a wide range of topics, from etiquette and HR to icebreakers and Retrospectives.

Another note: because much of the material relayed here applies to a variety of readers and situations, there is some necessary overlap. So, some information appears in more than one spot and in more than one way. As it happens, those points of overlap emphasize the most important aspects of how to work together well, and so are worth repeating.

Join me in exploring the wonderful world of remote working!