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Have we mastered Virtual Communication?

18 Sept 2022

While some people are making their way back to workplaces with a renewed hope of meeting their fellow colleagues, the remaining have accepted the work from home

We are well into this new age of Hybrid Working. While some people are making their way back to workplaces with a renewed hope of meeting their fellow colleagues, the remaining have accepted the work from home model as the new normal and do not mind working remotely forever. Be it in office or on a Teams call, one thing is for sure, the way we collaborate and communicate has changed profoundly.


So, the question remains: Have we really mastered the art of Virtual Communication? The answer...is a Yes and a No!


While we have mastered virtual meetings to a certain extent (Hilarious Work from Home Fails aside!), we are yet to maximise our true presence online and personalise communication with our team at a deeper level.


Just because we are speaking does not mean we are being listened to or understood. It does not mean our message is making the desired impact. While verbal and non-verbal skills are essential, we must realise that emotional awareness will always be at the core of making our interactions life-like.


So, how do we make this happen? Here is what Irvin Bishop (Forbes) recommends:

1. We must acknowledge the emotional state people are in while they are communicating, and carefully consider how this shapes their perception. Growing our empathy, patience, and appreciation for one another is the best thing we can do to understand people on the other side of the screen.

2. The best way to make the above possible, is to meet people virtually when they are not perfectly composed. Not every call has to be defined by social conventions of dressing or appearance. Spontaneous interactions with no agendas or rules help build trust and comfort, thereby breaking down the barriers posed by pasted ideals of professionalism.

3. We must constantly reassess the sense of community within our teams. Without water cooler talk and passing glances, the bonds that united co-workers — building workplace rapport, and even diffusing tension — may be weakening. So, one type of virtual meets does not work all the time. Constantly mixing up our interactions virtually keep teams engaged.

4. Effective virtual communication begin with empathy, understanding and a willingness to accept the humanisation of workforce. Once this is addressed, the rest of pieces fall in place.


To sum it up: Communication is at its best when it is human.

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