Remote and Hybrid Teamwork Success: “Asynchronous” Communication is the Key
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Addressing the “Always On” Fatigue of Remote and Hybrid Working with Asynchronous Communication
“I miss working in the office, at least I was able to clock-off and mind my own business at the end of the day. But this last year of remote working, there’s been no boundaries between work and private life when working from home. I feel always on and so tired.”
“But now that hybrid working is kicking in, I am scared that this always on way of working is here to stay. Even on days we go in office, there won’t be that good’ol feeling of clocking-off work anymore… Always on…”
While surveys show that employees generally welcome remote working, there are equally many who feel its challenges and stresses; namely time management, difficulty to switch off after work, and where hybrid working has been introduced, FOMO (fear of missing out among team members working remote against those back in-office). These all contribute to the “always on” stress of work, which is the feeling of helplessness that you don’t have control over your own clock.
It’s Time to Recognize that We Can’t Fully Replicate the In-Office Way of Working in Remote and Hybrid Working
One of the key reasons why the “always on” stress is prominent in today’s pandemic world is because most workplaces have been trying to operate remote and hybrid working simply as a replication or emulation of in-office working.
But this recreation attempt of in-office way of working in the remote and hybrid environment dysfunctions because of one fundamental differentiating factor: physical proximity.
Here’s an interesting survey we did in one of our workshops on hybrid and remote working.
In an in-office setting, if your boss wants to speak with you, they’ll just glance across the room and see if you’re available. And if you are, they’ll just approach you and start chatting. There’s a…
