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For more content in this series and share what to read next Five tips for improving one-on-one meetings to create a stronger culture: Must-read books of the year for departments MIT Must-read books of the year for artificial intelligence Top 10 articles of the year Pictures The coronavirus pandemic has led to a surge in virtual work across companies, with many if not all employees working from home for extended periods of time. One of the major unintended consequences of this widespread shift to virtual working is the impact on relationships and networks within organizations. By better understanding how remote work harms connection, trust, and collaboration, managers can take action to mitigate these impacts.
One of the biggest drivers of who interacts with whom in organizations is physical distance. This phenomenon has been observed from the 1st floor of the U.S. Senate to the Google campus. It’s surprising how much difference even a meter or two can make. However, when everyone Job Function Email List goes virtual, employees can no longer just randomly bump into someone in the hallway or at a desk. They are still connected to the people they feel closest to and the colleagues they need to work with to complete specific tasks, but the level of interaction with others is much reduced. When interactions do occur, they are intentional rather than casual encounters. Inevitably, going all virtual means many interactions are reduced.
Relationships recede, work networks shrink, and organizations become less interconnected. Email Updates About the Future of Work Monthly, research-based updates on what the future of work means for your workplace, teams and culture. What is your email? Sign Up Privacy Policy Day in and day out, when all work is done virtually, ongoing work interactions and relationships are harder to engage with effectively, especially if those connections are not strong to begin with. Ironically, the need for creative problem-solving, such as redesigning critical processes online, is greater than ever, but the ongoing crisis makes this more difficult. After all, virtual communication, let alone the experience of being in crisis mode.
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