Episode: 619

Episode Title: The Remote Human Connection

People are feeling more disconnected from one another than ever before. Is it all the fault of remote work? Here’s my take, next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 619 show:

Welcome to The Perna Syndicate today! This week we’re discussing a new study by Airspeed that uncovered serious challenges for the human connection at work. People want that connection, in fact they really need it to perform at peak potential, but somehow they’re just not getting it. Is remote work to blame?

As convenient and empowering as it can be, remote work may have a dark side when it comes to social connection. 72% of the workers polled said that they aren’t able to socialize enough when they’re remote. 33% expressed feelings of loneliness. 

At the same time, many people love the freedom and flexibility of remote work. So what’s a leader to do? 

I think it’s important to remember that all a human connection really requires is two people—one of whom wants to see, hear, and value the other. You can see, hear, and value another person face to face or screen to screen, because it’s not about the medium. It’s about the person. 

Truly connecting with someone virtually may require different techniques than in person, but the core of a human connection remains the same. If you make people feel seen, heard, and valued, they will want to connect with you. Further interactions will only deepen that connection. 

We can indeed forge a human connection when working remotely—if we’re willing to see, hear, and value the person on the screen.

Tomorrow: What’s going to happen if the workforce continues in a state of disconnect? It won’t be good. Join me on the next episode of The Perna Syndicate for more on that. Until then, take care!