Connecting in a Remote World
Professionals continue to adjust to a world in which return-to-the-office most likely means a hybrid in-office/work-from-home schedule. And for many people, that flexibility gives them tremendous benefits, including reduced commuting time and lower fuel costs. But the growing norm of just a few days per week in the office for many knowledge workers also has its challenges. As Peggy Noonan put it in a Wall Street Journal column, with this new model of work and fewer people in the office working together at the same time: “There will be less knowledge of the workplace, of what’s going on, of the sense that you’re part of a burbling ecosystem.”
Leaders are concerned as to how they will integrate new employees and keep existing employees engaged. Not surprisingly, interns are questioning what insights they will gain about a workplace after only a few months with limited in-person interaction. And professionals at all levels are wondering how they can connect effectively on a long-term basis when they don’t know who will be in the office and when. So, if you’re working in a more permanently remote-work-world, what are some of the key mechanisms you can use to still connect with your colleagues?
Identify and prioritize the key people you need to meet with in-person
Start by making a short list of the people you need to meet in person: for example, the manager you depend on to support your promotion; the direct report with whom you need to share some tough feedback about their performance; or a key stakeholder who misses telephone calls and videoconference meetings relating to a project for which their input is crucial. The more critical the conversation, and the less you feel able to communicate and engage meaningfully through non-face-to-face channels, the more important it is to find a way to meet in-person.
To overcome these obstacles, you will probably have to work harder to get on someone’s in-person schedule. You might offer to travel to their office in another city or meet up with them for coffee near their home. You may also need to be flexible to accommodate their schedule, but it can be worth it in order to discuss a sticky problem or simply learn more about them than you would during a Zoom call. How people react, respond and appear in their demeanor in person can be quite different, so it can be valuable to make the effort to have that time with them. Indeed, if you really want to build a key relationship, an in-person meeting can be a more effective than relying on a computer screen.
Stop relying so much on email
Speaking of computer screens, it’s easy to fall into the trap of using email as a primary mode of communication. Emails frequently get blasted out without considering if there was a better mode of sharing information or giving direction. And email often is the easy way out – such as when you don’t have the time to pick up the phone, or just would rather not spend time talking in-person to someone – and leaves the communication feeling one-sided.
Email also does not facilitate the exchange of ideas that promotes collaboration and partnership. Picking up the phone to call someone and talk about an issue gives the opportunity to ask questions, seek clarification, and learn from the conversation. There are also topics or points that you or a colleague may be reluctant or unsure about how to raise in writing, making email a less attractive option. Calling someone or setting a time to chat can make a difference in how you and your colleagues engage and feel engaged with each other.
Set regular times for key meetings and stick to them
When people work in different locations and on different schedules, effective alignment and communication can be difficult. Critical meetings to keep everyone aware of goals, priorities, and deadlines need to be prioritized, and attendance kept mandatory to ensure accountability. The importance of a regular team meeting should not be diminished simply because people have a hybrid or remote-work schedule. Indeed, it’s more important than ever to make sure that meetings continue, that attendance is good, and that everyone’s time is respected with a focused agenda.
If the meeting is virtual, people should turn their cameras on. After several years of working remote, people may experience “Zoom fatigue” and check out by turning off their cameras. But just as it’s important for people to be seen and interact with others in in-person meetings, it’s equally vital that virtual meetings be treated similarly. For organizations that had a “no email” or “no phones” policy during face-to-face meetings prior to 2020, it can be valuable to revisit whether that is a reasonable and useful request for virtual meetings as well as well.
Reach out to invite others to less formal meet-ups
Before 2020, when people were more regularly in the office, the opportunity to grab coffee or meet over lunch was an easy, often spontaneous, opportunity to build workplace relationships and get to know your colleagues. While you may now need to plan more in advance, so those on your team can adjust their schedules, in-person, out-of-office events remain important. Ways to engage more regularly in-person might include quarterly team dinners out, or a monthly happy hour event across the street from the office. Whatever the format, maintaining those informal catch-ups encourages interaction and communication between employees.
When you’re in the office--and not many other people are--consider it as an opening to get to know someone that you haven’t worked with as much or who is new to the organization. An emptier office isn’t necessarily lonely; it can instead offer you valuable time with the people who are there. For example, if it’s just you and the general counsel in the office on a random Tuesday, seize the moment and invite them to lunch, or drop by to ask in-person about something that’s on your mind. If they are busy, offer to schedule for another day – either way, you will have put yourself in front of someone who could widen the circle of people you can include in your network. They can also add to your knowledge of the company overall. In a working world where getting access to that information is more challenging, reaching out to new resources can matter enormously.
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The world of office work increasingly poses challenges for meeting in-person, but that doesn’t mean that our ability to connect effectively with our colleagues is reduced. Working differently to reach out to and engage the people in our working lives is more important than ever. And taking the time and applying new techniques to do so is key.