In Part 1, I suggested some requirements for a fulfilling job, whether remote or at a traditional work site. That’s half the equation for a satisfying and productive employment experience. Individual capabilities make up the other half. We know that not all remote workers will thrive equally. Different people respond differently – and therefore perform more or less successfully – when they work alone, physically separated from their teammates.

Here are three traits that contribute to increased performance, and reduced stress, among remote workers.

Innate Sense of Control – Belief in one’s direct influence over important events. Some of us have a strong natural conviction that we – not fate, luck, kismet or the kindness of others – wield the greatest control over our fate. Those people tend assume responsibility for their actions because they believe responsibility rightly lies with them. They feel the greatest fulfillment when their comfort with control coincides with the opportunity for self-determination.

Perceived Self-Efficacy – Self-confidence boosted by a record of success. People with high self-efficacy believe they can organize and execute plans and deliver successful results, because they have succeeded in doing so before. Like sense of control, perceived self-efficacy affects how we respond to job demands and cope with stressors. People with high confidence in their capabilities approach difficult tasks as challenges to master rather than as threats to avoid. They seek jobs with abundant positive challenges (such as the requirement to master a new skill). When failure seems to loom, they redouble their efforts because they know they have the wherewithal to prevail. High self-efficacy and belief in personal control can reinforce each other. People with both traits approach difficult situations with assurance they will come out ahead.

Conscientiousness – Incorporates elements of orderliness, self-control, dutifulness, attention to detail and discipline in pursuing goals. When combined with a sense of control and high perceived self-efficacy, conscientiousness yields high productivity. Projects get done because the individual believes he or she can influence outcomes, feels capable of doing the job and readily takes on responsibility for completion. While an overabundance of conscientiousness can produce a tendency to worry, for the most part this trait suggests low stress exposure. Conscientious people plan for predictable stressors and avoid impulsive actions that might not end well.

When these traits harmonize with the requirement for high-fulfillment work, performance peaks and the harmful effects of stressors decline. But what happens when people without these traits must still function remotely? Here are several actions an employer can take to enhance these abilities:

  • Fit the task to the person, but incorporate growth – On the one hand, don’t give a challenging solo project to a person who performs better as part of a team or whose self-efficacy is in the early stages, unreinforced by repeated success. On the other, build in reasonable stretch goals so that the person has a chance to gain competence and confidence.
  • Develop these traits – To a significant extent, sense of control, self-efficacy and conscientiousness are personality traits that each of us carries with us throughout a career. Nevertheless, managers can architect jobs to hone and refine these elements. Sense of control and perceived self-efficacy increase when people take on incremental responsibility in manageable steps and when the organization recognizes and rewards success. Learning to plan tasks and carry them out dutifully reinforces the value of diligence and self-discipline in reducing performance variance.
  • Hire for the necessary traits – Use the interview process and the exploration of prior experience to determine how much strength a potential employee has in each key area. Fortunately, hiring well for remote work is good hiring in general.

As with the requirements for high-fulfillment assignments, the three traits contribute to success and engagement regardless of where tasks take place. Crafting jobs and fitting people to them remains the single most critical challenge for managers, especially as work and the workplace evolve.