Difference #2: Eye rolls

Think about the last time you were in a meeting where there was an undeniable undercurrent of “are you kidding me??”

Oh, no one said anything, but you KNEW what people were thinking…the shared glances, the crossed arms, and, of course, the unmistakable eye roll. The real shared meaning came in those small, silent nonverbal cues.

Reality Check: it’s hard to see an eye roll in a slack message or virtual meeting.

In the remote workplace, we can no longer rely on our faces to communicate feedback. In fact, motivation, emotions, and relational information will all become distorted when technology enters our communication

A study out of Oxford University bears this out. Researchers found that when an individual believes they are clearly expressing outrage, frustration, or even sadness online, an “illusion of transparency” will result. In other words, no one notices online eye rolls, exasperated sighs, or fidgety responses, and no one will intuitively know what we are thinking.

So how do we adapt? 

Use words.

In the remote office, we need to clearly state our frustrations or excitement, describe our motivation, and explain our feedback.

For some of us, that change isn’t easy. Using words can feel uncomfortable or intrusive. We may be afraid of saying the wrong things or beginning a conversation that could go off the rails.

Unfortunately, online communication requires an emphasis on words. When we default to our old nonverbal ways of communicating, too much important information gets lost in the distance. And when teams work off of insufficient information, assumptions and biases will fill in any extra blanks. That, in turn, assures misalignment, miscommunication, grudges, and conversations that can carry unknown emotional impact.

By adapting our communication to this new kind of workplace, we will be much more effective and much better equipped to build trust from a distance.