Connecting in a Shrinking Universe

Photo: Fauxels

Note: the following article recently appeared in Catalyst, the official publication of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). I’m on the board of IABC DC Metro, and I often share content on communications. ​

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By: Tony Stewart

Old habits die hard. As some managers mandate a return to the office, empowered employees — invigorated by the proven performance of remote working — are pushing back and demanding flexibility. If companies demand in-person attendance, they must make flexible working equally viable.
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But such flexibility is resulting in people becoming overwhelmed — in their personal and work lives. We’ve got access to everything we need, all the time from the comfort of our living rooms. It’s connectivity for connectivity’s sake. We’re digitally joined up with more people than we’ll ever interact with, never mind talk to.

The result? Global organizations are struggling to streamline their communications, to overcome the noise and chatter this hyperconnectivity has caused. Now they’re in full retreat — cutting back on their channels to aid budget and save attention spans.

We, on the other hand, don’t know where to prioritize our time and energy. That can make joining a network, for business or leisure, a hard sell. The risk is that avoiding networks could mean siloes, isolation and a lack of creative collaboration. People don’t join companies for a solid social life.

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