What a Year of WFH Has Done to Our Relationships at Work

[daftandbarmy]

Pretty much....

Summary.

More than a year into the Covid-19 pandemic and WFH, new research from Microsoft shows that employees and teams are becoming much more siloed. In particular, connections with people outside our immediate teams has shrunk dramatically, leading to fewer places to connect around innovative ideas and fewer opportunities to build social capital. Further, this trend is making employees feel lonely and isolated. To help address this issue, leaders should focus on being proactive about connecting employees across the organization, make space for connections outside official meetings, encourage and reward social support, and improve the structure of meetings.

What a Year of WFH Has Done to Our Relationships at Work

More than a year into the Covid-19 pandemic and WFH, new research from Microsoft shows that employees and teams are becoming much more siloed. In particular, connections with people outside our immediate teams has shrunk dramatically, leading to fewer places to connect around innovative ideas...

hbr.org

 

[Kirkhill]

Pretty much....

Summary.

More than a year into the Covid-19 pandemic and WFH, new research from Microsoft shows that employees and teams are becoming much more siloed. In particular, connections with people outside our immediate teams has shrunk dramatically, leading to fewer places to connect around innovative ideas and fewer opportunities to build social capital. Further, this trend is making employees feel lonely and isolated. To help address this issue, leaders should focus on being proactive about connecting employees across the organization, make space for connections outside official meetings, encourage and reward social support, and improve the structure of meetings.

What a Year of WFH Has Done to Our Relationships at Work

More than a year into the Covid-19 pandemic and WFH, new research from Microsoft shows that employees and teams are becoming much more siloed. In particular, connections with people outside our immediate teams has shrunk dramatically, leading to fewer places to connect around innovative ideas...

hbr.org

All correct right up until the last clause -

"improve the structure of meetings"

unless by improve they mean destructure meetings.

You get novel ideas from chatting with people who know stuff you don't.

Google and Amazon shun remote working and tell staff to get back in the office

A sign that big employers are losing faith in remote working home policies

www.telegraph.co.uk

Maybe the answer to innovation is a return to the two hour lunch down at the pub.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Our morning walks as a group to get coffee was a chance to catch up and bounce ideas off of each other

 

[Remius]

I started a new position during Covid. I have yet to meet anyone face to face and outside my immediate team I barely know anyone in our section, who to network with and the normal connections you make with people in your extended work environment. It sucks.

 

[AM Sup]

I started a new position during Covid. I have yet to meet anyone face to face and outside my immediate team I barely know anyone in our section, who to network with and the normal connections you make with people in your extended work environment. It sucks.

Same here, I was at Asticou last year when Covid hit; we finished the program via distance and I started my new gig. I'm a little more fortunate in that I know a number of the folks in my current section from earlier postings which does help, but it's my first NCR job so the learning curve has been a little steep. I'd much rather be in the office.

 

[OldSolduer]

Inmates don’t guard themselves too well.

 

[Ostrozac]

Inmates don’t guard themselves too well.

The experienced troops know to be just productive enough to make the chain happy. Sort of like minimum security inmates stamping out just enough licence plates that they will be mostly left alone.

The real challenge, as noted above, is onboarding new personnel. A fistful of handover notes from your predecessor doesn’t really explain the intricacies of a job, nor does it help to make the new folks feel like part of the team.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Depends on the people. Maintaining connections and having occasional social gatherings is important, but among the two teams with which I habitually work (about 20-odd people) everyone is happy to work from home and meet virtually. Important factor: we were working 80%+ from home before COVID (basically, one day or most of one day per week in-office for weekly meeting). I would not be surprised if that (one day or half day per week in office) is the sweet spot.

 

[Weinie]

Depends on the people. Maintaining connections and having occasional social gatherings is important, but among the two teams with which I habitually work (about 20-odd people) everyone is happy to work from home and meet virtually. Important factor: we were working 80%+ from home before COVID (basically, one day or most of one day per week in-office for weekly meeting). I would not be surprised if that (one day or half day per week in office) is the sweet spot.

It may be, in your or other occupations.

I would posit that the operational units of the CAF will have to come together much more often.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Sure, from-home doesn't work well for non-office jobs. OTOH, could be loads of fun to watch WFH football or hockey...

 

[SupersonicMax]

Sure, from-home doesn't work well for non-office jobs. OTOH, could be loads of fun to watch WFH football or hockey...