My Top Five Tips on How To Deal With Your Co-Workers Digitally
The challenge is learning to navigate conflict and misunderstandings in a world where people can simply log-off from the meeting.
Work has changed, and no one really knows for how long. When it came time for people to work from home, you saw a lot of companies and businesses balancing between who can work from home and also how? And what happens to those who can't work from home?
The truth is that we are in a new reality. Even if things went back to the way they were before (spoiler alert: They won't), we have new truths and painful experiences that will alter the way we interact with the world around us.
So here are my top 5 tips on how to deal with your co-workers digitally.
Be prepared to overcommunicate. Remember when you could just walk into your co-workers' office and squash that argument, yea not so much anymore. The truth of the matter is with the removal of the convenient drop-in, co-workers run the risk of being misinformed or uninformed on essential topics. One of the ways I recommend combating that is to check-in often with your team and/or supervisor. Don't wait for them to check-in with you. If you feel lost, ask. If you feel like you are missing information, say what you know and figure out where the gap lies. A lot of business is being done via text and/or email, so it's easier to be looped out.
Conflict will last as long as you avoid the phone call. It's easy to avoid conflict as long as we are not next to each other, but can you really ghost your co-worker? Don't answer that! The best thing you can do with all of your new-found strength in communication is to use it to squash the issues now. You don't have the luxury of accidentally running into someone in the breakroom or even the threat of it. I argue that this tension is where resolutions are made. There have been plenty of times that me knowing I would run into them later made me go ahead and get it out of the way.
Everything doesn't have to be a Zoom. I get it. We love our technology, but the truth is there is only so much video conferencing we can do before people start ignoring the video invites. Remember other avenues that still exist like texting, phone calls, emails, social media, etc.
Recognize this is new territory for everyone. I cannot stress this enough. Be patient. Many people are navigating a space they never saw coming. With that being said, it's crucial to understand the learning curve that comes with transitioning to working at home and/or entirely digital.
See the full picture. Many people are balancing more now than ever. The usual avenues for recreation are closed. Schools are closed, but assignments are still due. Uncertainty about the future is leaving many people in fear and stagnant about making plans too far in advance. One of the most significant pieces of advice I got when I started my career in Human Resources was that people don't leave their issues at home, they add their work ones to it. All of these new pressures are adding on to people, so remember that when a co-worker seems to complain more than usual or isn't responding as quickly as they usually would.
The main thing to remember is that this pandemic is a new territory for many, but that doesn't mean our human patience and compassion has to be. Lean into the discomfort of the current situation and realize that digital or not, we can get through this together.