{"id":4661,"date":"2025-05-08T20:47:37","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T20:47:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aomtodayprod.wpenginepowered.com\/?p=4661"},"modified":"2025-07-09T15:42:31","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T15:42:31","slug":"how-tech-can-support-connecting-via-remote-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aom.org\/today\/how-tech-can-support-connecting-via-remote-work\/","title":{"rendered":"How Tech Can Support Connecting via Remote Work"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Daniel Butcher <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Some people hate virtual meetings and calls and prefer face-to-face in-person interactions. Others are uncomfortable in a traditional office setting and prefer communicating in ways that are mediated by technology. Many people fall somewhere in between. But small talk is valuable for everyone.<\/p>\r\n

Academy of Management Scholar Jessica Methot<\/a> of Rutgers University and the University of Exeter\u2014who cowrote an Academy of Management Journal article<\/a><\/em> on that topic with Emily Rosado-Solomon<\/a> of Babson College, Patrick Downes<\/a> of the University of Kansas, and Allison Gabriel<\/a> of Purdue University\u2014said that she has talked to a lot of people whose teams or organizations are now using Slack, Teams, or other communication software and provided the following advice:<\/p>\r\n

\u201cSet up informal interaction channels over Slack to give employees an outlet where they can talk about exercise or leisure or any hobbies that they have that doesn\u2019t necessarily have to implicate work-related topics,\u201d Methot said. \u201cGiving them an outlet to talk informally with each other can be really helpful.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

This doesn\u2019t always apply to, say, neurodivergent individuals or other people with disabilities or people who are from minoritized backgrounds, or even expatriates, she noted.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cSmall talk is actually really challenging for people who don\u2019t understand American norms, and we\u2019ve heard that from a lot of immigrants, expatriates who don\u2019t have the context for how to get involved in the conversations with those familiar with a particular country’s cultural norms and trends,\u201d Methot said. \u201cFor Americans, it seems accepted and relatively normal.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cWe understand that it\u2019s polite to engage in conversation, but we talk about topics that they might not be familiar with, things related to hobbies or sports or network television, and they feel excluded,\u201d she said<\/p>\r\n

\u201cAlso, the idea of returning to the office might not feel as accepting or welcoming for certain populations, like those who are neurodivergent.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

While many people bemoan the disruption to traditional nine-to-five office schedules, for many others such as parents and people with disabilities, remote or hybrid work arrangements are a breath of fresh air.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cFor some people, technology has really vastly improved their social circles, work-life balance, and ability to present themselves more authentically,\u201d Methot said.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cStigmatized groups might struggle to live and work in their environment when they have disabilities, or for individuals who are neurodivergent, it\u2019s harder for them to form in-person connections, and so interacting online can really be a lifeline for them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\r\n

\u201cI want to make sure that I\u2019m addressing the fact that encouraging small talk isn\u2019t a blanket set of practices or results that apply to everyone.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n

A sample of Methot\u2019s AOM research findings:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n