So. Are y乌鸦传媒檃ll fed up with the work from home articles, the get-fit apps, the hard sell on home office equipment..? Ya. Me too. To be honest I乌鸦传媒檝e been struggling to know what to write, picking up and putting down my quill and ink way too many times because I may be a few things, but I乌鸦传媒檓 not a clich茅. I want to give you something to get your teeth into, not just another COVID-19 ra ra ra乌鸦传媒� there乌鸦传媒檚 enough of that out there right under all our self-isolating noses.

So I乌鸦传媒檓 digging down for something deep that I can keep light, and it struck me that amidst all this topsy-turvy weirdness that we are navigating as best we can, there is an angle that I乌鸦传媒檓 interested in, I thought you might be too乌鸦传媒�

Why do we need human connection in the workplace?

By that, I don乌鸦传媒檛 just mean knowing our peers are there for us, I don乌鸦传媒檛 mean the planned collision spaces that we bump into our colleagues and talk about work, life, cocktails, (is that just me?).. I mean the deeper connection that we didn乌鸦传媒檛 know that we were missing until it was snatched away from us a month or so ago..

I乌鸦传媒檝e recently been hearing people self-identify as 乌鸦传媒榠ntroverted extroverts乌鸦传媒� and 乌鸦传媒榚xtroverted introverts乌鸦传媒� with varying degrees of acceptance on the experience of working in solitude at home. And then there乌鸦传媒檚 those incredible humans who are juggling home-schooling and sharing the dining table with a partner whilst trying to get Some. Darn. Work. Done.

But what is it that we are missing?

Were we simply underestimating the effect that spending up to a third of our lives with a random selection of people who happen to occupy the same four walls as us, has on our internal happiness? Or is it deeper than that? Could it be the absence of that connection making us unhappy? Stay with me on this.

It乌鸦传媒檚 well known that we each need human interaction on some level to, dare I say, validate, our existence. (OK, that may be a bit dramatic.) but we know we need the physical and emotional cues that come from face to face interactions. We乌鸦传媒檝e all experienced the misunderstanding of a text tone, of a poorly placed emoji, or too many exclamation marks!!!!

It forces overthinking, even in those who pretend it doesn乌鸦传媒檛. We second guess, and begin to build opinions and barriers that only serve to grow that discontent over time.

We aren乌鸦传媒檛 wired to build relationships digitally *cue online-dater uproar*. Face to face interactions allow us to register facial responses (and react accordingly), they are necessarily more efficient and productive, which in turn leads to a sense of achievement, and the non verbal cues allow us to build an internal framework about how we connect with this specific person. A framework that means we get to shortcut all that analysis the next time we interact.

Alliant University of Psychology webpage, states: 乌鸦传媒�Communicating face to face also builds trust and connection between employer and employee as well as between colleagues. This can foster goodwill and build that sense of teamwork that can transform an organization from surviving to thriving. There simply is no substitute for connecting on a human level乌鸦传媒�.

So, I乌鸦传媒檓 leaving you with that. If the freedom to do your housework in between emails, or the fact you can have your 乌鸦传媒榪uarantini locktail乌鸦传媒� at 2pm and no-one knows (or cares, because they乌鸦传媒檙e doing it too) is getting a bit old, the fact that you乌鸦传媒檙e not close enough to smell your colleagues probably has something to do with it. It乌鸦传媒檚 called the Olfactory Code. It乌鸦传媒檚 science. I love science.

Until next time, my friends, stay safe, and let乌鸦传媒檚 make that curve a little less bendy so we can all get back to that happy, smelly, place乌鸦传媒� Adieu.

Missed the last column?

About Jules Galloway:

Jules Galloway is known as an agitator and a change maker, and she wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 have it any other way. As the founder/owner of Evolve Design| Build and co-owner of HUB Office Furniture, Jules ignores the status quo and is fundamentally changing the way the design industry does business. Having started her first business more than 25 years ago, Jules乌鸦传媒� continued success comes from knowing when to buck the trends and instead dig into the 乌鸦传媒榳hy乌鸦传媒� as a way to understand what her clients really want. Especially when they have no idea! Jules has vision and it乌鸦传媒檚 not just about the right chairs to go with that flooring. She is passionate about function-first design and purposeful projects. She has a clear idea of what it means to be part of the community and she incorporates this into every aspect of her life. As an instructor at the Centre for Arts and Technology Design School, Jules encourages young designers to understand the fundamentals but to also be confident to take the risks. Her personal passion for child and youth mental health has led to non-profit organizations making up 80% of her design projects. Jules brings her heart into all she does. She is a relationship builder who has a savvy eye, strong business acumen and leads with her heart. She lives in Kelowna, B.C.with her two children, her dog and her fianc茅 乌鸦传媒� soon to be husband, Lee!

Email: jules@evolveinteriors.ca

Founder and CEO

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