April 15, 2021 / by Monica / 4 comments
The Power of Voice
It’s a little over a year into the massive remote work experiment. Although no employee is missing the days of commuting, they are missing the days of easy office communication and productive conversations. Alexandria Lichtenfeld of Startups Magazine says today’s work “‘relationships’ are all built over email or some other platform that replaces actually talking to one another. And the art of conversation is thus being lost”. With 87% of employees saying the office is essential to team collaborations and building work relationships. The pivot away from daily office interaction has left some remote workers feeling increased isolation.
Reviving the collaborative workspace while we work apart has taken on many forms, from video conferencing to endless email threads. But those nonverbal cues your coworkers are giving don’t translate as well over video conversations. Often losing syntax and pitch as we relinquish the virtual pulpit to the other three coworkers who’ve spoken up at the same time. Stevie Ray of The Business Journal says “[s]ubtleties of pitch and tone make voice communication more effective at influencing behavior and developing a relationship. Voice also allows for more information in a shorter time. Voice enables humor; a powerful tool for communication.” Voice chatting provides your employees with meaningful, immediate, and efficient communication and collaboration.
So, what can your company do to cultivate the lost spirit of the collaborative workspace? Amy Wrzeniewski of Yale Insights suggests you “take the time to check in on your employees. Even a 10-minute check in by phone (enough Zoom!) renews connection, syncs up information exchanges, and becomes a setting in which a question or concern is more easily shared and discussed.” This sound advice is even easier when your company has Connect. The live virtual meeting space mimics the open office environment employees thrived on. Making it easier for cross-over conversations, daily interaction, and team collaboration.
