Social connections


It’s always been a big question- how to maintain social connections in a remote environment? Not only social, but how does a team stay involved in a way that will continue to foster creativity, collaboration, and work to further solidify the team? All is not lost. Much of this relies on the tools and technologies used to foster engagement, but even more so on shifting the groups mentality to understand how to engage in a virtual environment.  Remote does not mean detached. 

There are a lot of time-tracking tools out there with the intent of tracking just how employees spend their time during the day. How do you track those connections that happen in passing though, those conversations that start in the hall on a whim and lead to the next big breakthrough in a project? Not every hallway conversation is the next big breakthrough, but they still serve to build a stronger team-bond. The social side of anything has always been more difficult to track, such as- how to track the social impacts of a company?  Well, just as metrics and measurements are emerging to answer that question, it is time to better understand how social connections aid productivity and serve as inspiration in creativity and innovation. 

I was recently writing on self-sufficiency (visit the Prezi overview of the paper), where again the question of community came up. Humans are social creatures. So, in all aspects of life it just comes down to accounting for this, and even tapping into the potential that socializing brings to the creative process. Think of writers block. All that situation may need is a muse- some social connection and interaction. Most great works of art are not produced by a group, but they are almost always inspired by others. Although there is not yet a great way track the inspiration provided by a social setting, it is important to find ways to recreate this for a remote working environment. 

Social connection is still the most difficult thing to track in a standard office environment, and is the most difficult thing to provide in a remote setting. While the former may never be solved, at least the latter is getting a lot easier as more and more social media tools enter the professional arena. Can this replace face to face contact, those conversations that happen in passing, personal connection?

Here is an interesting post I came across on this topic. The blogger works for Blackboard, which creates virtual education platforms. The same question of social connections comes up in the virtual learning realm just as it does in professional work. The Blogger mentioned how those in person engagements are still very important to building work relationships.

I see two sides to this:
1-      You do not need to be in person at all times to meet this need. Quarterly or even annual gatherings are always a good idea.
2-      Taking the social pressure off of your work environment creates social opportunities in other areas of your life. 

Yes face time is important, but daily face time, not so much. If anything daily face time often becomes more of a distraction and a hindrance. Those hallway inspirations can move to the virtual realm once an in-person bond is formed, and then the need to find a way to track those hallway chats becomes less. 

Friendships may be formed at work, but for the most part, colleagues are not a preferred social group. Working remote does create more of a need to get out and socialize, but it also allows the time and space for this to be by choice, instead of a situation of forced socialization with those in your immediate daily work space. If you spend a day working remote, when it is quitting time you are more likely to seek out friends, family and social engagements of choice.

Obviously there is a lot to be said about this! Social connects are important for humans. Working remote does not mean less social though, it can actually mean more of a social choice, and more effective and efficient work.

Comments

Bria Schlottman said…
Agree, you do not have to be detached if you work alone. Co-working is another great venue for creating community for entreprenuers, telecommuters, etc.
November 21, 2011 at 7:21 PM
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