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OOO, Out of Mind
The Unintended Impact of Remote Work on Critical Communication
From short-term fixes to long-term shifts: why remote work needs new solutions.
Produced by Mursion Inc.
Release date: March 2021
In January 2021, Mursion surveyed 400 full-time employees and 250 full-time managers or higher at companies with 2,500 or more employees in various industries. This survey was completed online and responses were random, voluntary and completely anonymous.
Effective communication in the workplace is key for teamwork and engagement between employees. But sometimes professional environments also require difficult conversations — whether it’s productivity issues or a formal review, critical and even difficult conversations happen almost daily.
This report explores whether new, virtual forms of communication have helped or inhibited the initiation of critical conversations.
Only 35% of managers reported conducting an employee review since moving to remote work.
While these conversations are vital, that does not always mean they happen immediately, effectively, or at all. With the sudden shift to remote work, these challenges are aggregated — by pushing professionals into new communication channels, new problems arise. Be it conversations about health and wellness in light of the pandemic or discussions on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) issues in the workplace, many are questioning the efficacy of digital communication for sensitive topics.
While the work-from-home shift was intended to be a short-term solution, it is increasingly clear it is here to stay. These new communication channels are permanent installments of the workplace, and professionals need to be prepared to navigate conversations, big and small, productively.
