Seize the moment – a new opportunity to build meaningful connection
A sudden shift to remote working may have proved isolating for some at first , but we now face an extraordinary opportunity to build meaningful connection regardless of employee location , explains Charlie Woodward , CEO of Natter , in this Q & A .
Has the pandemic hindered workplace interaction ?
We would argue that the pandemic has potentially done the exact opposite . A spotlight has certainly been shone on the importance of workspace interaction and , of course , the pandemic did make it significantly more challenging to facilitate . However , workspace interaction has always been hindered by accessibility challenges ( regionalised offices , proximity to leadership , social biases , familial care responsibilities , and so on ). The pandemic merely levelled the playing field so that everyone experienced a similar degree of hindrance .
As we rebuild the workspace post-pandemic , there ’ s an enormous opportunity to make workspace interactions equitable and to overcome these challenges . We believe the acceleration of digitisation and technological adoption means the ‘ watercooler catch-up ’, the office chit-chat and the fundamental social relationships we build at work through conversation can now include everyone . Combined with a resumption of personal social interactions outside of work , changes like these mean we can envision a world where people feel far less isolated than ever before as a direct result of remote / hybrid working .
There ’ s an enormous opportunity to make workspace interactions equitable
Why is it important for employers to foster a culture of collaboration ?
From improved productivity , innovation and customer satisfaction , to wellbeing , employee commitment and talent retention – we all know the benefits of fostering a culture of collaboration . However , with the shift to remote / hybrid working , to achieve these benefits , it ’ s now more important than ever for organisations to think about new ways of enabling connection between individuals .
All the positives of remote / hybrid working will come undone without equally forward-thinking approaches to connecting people . Knowledge sharing , social catch-ups , cross-departmental introductions and conversations are increasingly vital . The 21st-century employee can be just as familiar and collaborative with a colleague on another continent , in another team , with a completely different background and remit , as the 20th-century employee was to their deskmate . If this goal is not pursued while we have the chance to adapt , we run the risk of missing an extraordinary opportunity to redesign the world of work in a way that better serves everyone , and the growth opportunities that could emerge from this .
Should the physical location of a desk really be the main criteria for building meaningful connections at work ?
How can data and analytics help create meaningful connections ?
Above all , meaningful connection has and always will come from one-to-one conversations . But accelerated digitisation due to the pandemic has created new opportunities to increase visibility into connections in workspaces and better understand who should be having conversations with whom . While colleagues physically closest to us at work have often made for excellent companions and collaborators , should the physical location of a desk really be the main criteria for building meaningful connections at work ?
With the advent of technology-driven social interactions , we can now identify who has the required expertise , who is working on similar problems , who shares a common interest , and who – crucially – has never had the chance to speak to a key decision-maker and share their views . From this we can evolve the workspace conversation into a data-and-analytics driving process that helps foster an environment where more meaningful connections are happening right across an organisation , regardless of physical location , and better understand what people are really thinking and feeling at work .
How can employers prioritise employee wellbeing , connection and cohesion and how can this positively affect the inclusion agenda ?
Seize the moment . This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to redefine the way we connect with people at work , and how we connect them to each other .
Chaos breeds opportunity , and the chaos of the pandemic has granted organisations the chance to break down silos once and for all . Why should our workspace interactions be limited to specific colleagues ?
If we truly believe in diverse , equitable and inclusive workspaces , then it ’ s time to rethink the way our teams interact . We no longer wait hopelessly for a cab to pass us by when we need one , so why should we leave something as vital as workspace introductions , connections and knowledge sharing to chance ? We no longer think it normal for our access to products and shopping to be limited by geographic location , so why do we allow inclusion and interaction at work to be defined by postcode ?
Remote / hybrid working will bring benefits to all who are allowed to take advantage of its merits . More time with family , improved mental health , a more productive working day – we ’ re all aware of the value of this long-overdue evolution in flexibility . With a similar evolution in mindset around the way people should be more cohesively connected with each other in one of the most important areas of their lives – their work – we hope industry leaders can drive as much value in terms of equity and inclusion .
Charlie Woodward is CEO & Co-Founder of Natter , a digital platform which combines proprietary video , intelligent matching algorithms and data-analytics technology to break down barriers through the power of conversation , building connections that matter across teams and communities .