How Does Small Talk Yield Big Connections in Humanizing Work?

For months we have communicated through various video conferencing tools. In doing so, many of us have shared living spaces and other aspects of our personal lives with teammates, partners, and customers. People we wouldn’t normally have had the opportunity to invite into our homes, now sit with us in our kitchen or dining room. We learn pets’ names and hear about how children are doing in virtual school. At the same time, we use more technology to support remote work and leverage AI-based tools to complete work.

It has certainly made for interesting times. It also provides us with an opportunity to reflect on how this convergence of computing and communication technologies and their intersection with the human living environment are impacting how we communicate and engage with each other.

Centering Human Connection and Meaningful Interaction in the Virtual Workspace

Here’s one thing I’ve noticed. People seem more rushed and distracted than usual in video meetings. They seem less inclined to inquire about each other and engage in what I call social conversation, what we used to call small talk. Have you had any similar experiences?

I initially chalked this up to video and meeting fatigue. It made me wonder if this is just a passing situation, or is there potential for long-term fallout? It also made me wonder, “Is this just me?” or is something else going on?

I did a little soul-and Google-searching and found out it’s not just me (whew!). Jennifer Dorman, an Internet linguistics expert and senior instructional designer at language learning app Babbel, believes the prevalence of video meetings and conversations has changed the way we communicate, both verbally and physically, for the long-term.

A few of her observations are that body language has become more important, along with how we present ourselves to others and accentuate our speech. One of her key points is that with digitally mediated communication, there are now fewer opportunities for casual and ad hoc conversations with people we’d otherwise interact with on a regular basis. As people spend more time in scheduled video meetings, there is instead a tendency to maximize the meeting time with a focus on plowing through the agenda, decisions, and action items. Check the box, that meeting is completed, next.

So, while we are sharing living spaces, we are no longer sharing small talk and potentially not listening to each other very well.

Can Social Conversation Effectively Improve Listening Skills?

Kevin Oakes, author of Culture Renovation: 18 Leadership Actions to Build an Unshakeable Company and CEO of Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp), explored the need for companies to develop a more comprehensive listening strategy on Brené Brown’s podcast Dare to Lead.

Comprehensive listening requires listeners to pair verbal and nonverbal cues to grasp the inner meaning of the messages being communicated. Active listening demonstrates interest and encourages continued speaking. Comprehensive listening is listening to understand, not with the intent to reply, and to make interactions more meaningful.

The use of digital technologies to engage with each other improves efficiency and productivity, but it may be at the expense of a meaningful interaction. In his book, The Mind of the Leader: How to Lead Yourself, Your People, and Your Organization for Extraordinary Results, Rasmus Hougaard wrote that “today’s workforce is increasingly looking for more meaning, human connectedness, true happiness, and a desire to contribute positively to the world.” Small talk, even among those who identify as introverts, makes people happier. Happiness also pays dividends for companies. An extensive study into happiness and productivity has found that workers are 13% more productive when happy. Perhaps you’ve heard the term rehumanizing work? Rehumanizing work is about prioritizing humans above systems and processes. In rehumanizing work, technology continues to play a role but it is for the purpose of aiding human priorities.

It takes several functions within the organization to work together. IT departments need to think more deliberately about how the technology they implement can facilitate more human connection. HR and Marketing need to serve as strategic drivers to build a culture of wellbeing, learning, and meaning among employees and with customers, partners, and the communities the organization lives in and serves. It might also require more small talk.

The online video meeting is here to stay. The key is to ensure we remain engaged and connected as we zoom into each other’s living spaces. Each of us can contribute to rehumanizing work.

Here’s one easy way: make time for the casual chit-chat and the drop-in conversations that help us feel more connected.

Welcome your thoughts on the topic and of course always happy to hear from you.