More than three years after the global pandemic sent office workers home, organizations and their leaders continue to debate the ‘right’ mix of hybrid, remote, and in-person work.
Which roles can be most productive as remote roles?
When do we need people meeting in person with one another?
How will our leaders manage hybrid teams?
So many questions! Organizations have begun to address and yet continue to grapple with these and more.
Return to Office or Not?
Leaders may prefer to have everyone in one place and still understand the need for flexible work arrangements. It’s wonderful not to have a commute. “But this new approach to work can have a profound impact on employees’ sense of community and connection.”[i] Many miss the opportunities that arise during spontaneous, informal conversations with colleagues.
In the future of work, remote work, even when technology-enabled, does not replace the same level of community and connection that is possible when people interact, together, in person. As organizations and leaders evolve their thinking, there should be more opportunities to flex how work is done, especially when leaders are more intentional about how often they bring people together and why.
Putting aside the regulatory and business complications of having employees working from anywhere,[ii] there are specific benefits to organizations and team members that accrue when we are together.
The Downside of that Friend Called ‘Technology’
Working independently can be quite productive. I know I’m able to power through proposals, reports, and program development when I silence the phone and no one can walk in the door to interrupt me. Still, sustained time alone, connected only through technology, has been shown to impact individuals in a number of ways, including decreased connection and lower empathy.[iii]
While videoconferencing provides a cost-effective means to bring teams together for effective sharing of information, creativity is reduced when the outcomes of face-to-face and videoconference meetings are compared.[iv]
My nephew spelled it out very clearly. He recently observed, relative to his ability to do his job with a technology company from home or wherever he likes, “When you need to disagree and debate, it’s more productive to be in person. Online, people take things more personally and it’s easier to have misunderstandings.” Brilliant!
Advantages of Being Together
The point here is that there are real and significant relationship benefits when technology is set aside and we spend focused time together. We create stronger connections with others that help us weather the unavoidable challenges that occur in technology-enabled communications. A quick text or email fired off can be interpreted differently than intended. This tends to have much more significant ramifications when there is not a strong sense of community. In short, we need good relationships with colleagues to build trust and thrive in organizations.
A further benefit of time spent in person is that #empathy can be increased when we put technology aside and engage in face-to-face conversation, even when the discussion is heated. #innovation and #creativity are enhanced by constructive dissent. Keeping debate productive when opinions are many and emotions are high is more likely in person. So don’t bring people to the office primarily for the sake of seeing butts in seats, but with a specific purpose that is enhanced by community. That might be to:
– Discuss and define strategy
– Create something together
– Hash through a challenging issue
– Celebrate a recent success
Where there are many opinions – or you simply want more innovative ideas and input from your team – recognize the potential for disagreement and the value of discussion.
Capture the benefits of true dialogue that come from face-to-face meetings: diversity of thought, productive conflict, and stronger relationships between team members. Doing so will build community as you continue to create the #futureofwork, together.
Good luck on your leadership journey!
[i] Simpkins, E. & Bhatnagar, V. (2022, June). Three Ways to Prevent Hybrid Work From Breaking Your Company Culture. Strategy+Business, a PwC publication. https://www.strategy-business.com/article/Three-ways-to-prevent-hybrid-work-from-breaking-your-company-culture
[ii] Chavarro, J.M. (2023, February 27). Work-from-Home Regulations are Coming. Companies Aren’t Ready. MIT Sloan Management Review. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/work-from-home-regulations-are-coming-companies-arent-ready/
[iii] Barker, E. (2022). Plays Well With Others: The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Relationships is (Mostly) Wrong. Harper Collins, New York.
[iv] Brucks, M.S. & Levav, J. (2022). Virtual communication curbs creative idea generation. Nature 605, 108–112. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04643-y
This article first appeared on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-community-matters-future-work-phyllis-sarkaria-mcec/