The New Normal

 

Do you want to scream every time you hear the phrase ˋThe New Normal?’ Working from home and meeting or learning on-line has been a great contingency plan; but let’s get real, we can’t do this forever... at least I won’t! 

On-line meetings and workshops cannot provide the dynamics of in person interaction; for those who think I’m a dinasour for saying this, think about your personal/intimate relationships, and about that night out on the town you are planning with your friends the minute you are able. Personally, I look forward to standing in front of you with my clicker in one hand, whitebard marker in the other, and walking from table to table to see how you’re doing on the group assignment I have given you.

Let's start the dialogue on the benefits of face to face interation, and why we need to get back to it; for Example: Getting up in the morning, getting ready for work including changing from our pajamas to real clothes, stopping at your favourite coffee shop, greeting your co-workers at the office, going for breaks and lunch together, meeting for a drink and snacks after work on Friday, going to each other's weddings and birth celebrations, and even sharing the sad moments such as the death of a co-worker's family member. 

Then we have situations where our co-workers are spread throughout the nation, or even the planet,; bringing people together from afar creates relationships that simply cannot be manafested on-line... and how many problems have been resolved when the meeting was extended into dinner time at the restaurant?

So, how is building interpersonal relationships important for workplace productivity? If you need to ask this question, drop me a line as we have much more to talk about!

What are your thoughts, and what have you done that will prove me wrong?