In the Virtual Workplace, Empathy Guides Effective Communication
In some capacity or another, the virtual workplace is here to stay. With that reality comes the permanence of virtual communications—video conferences, instant messages, email chains, webinars, the list goes on. Although many have quickly adapted to and learned to thrive in this new working world, it has drastically changed the way we share ideas.
No matter what the digital medium, just because you’re sending a carefully crafted message, doesn’t mean it’s being received as you intended, writes Irvin Bishop Jr., Chief Information Officer at Black & Veatch, in a recent article published by Forbes.
Bishop explains how we’ve lost the communicative cues gleaned by tone and body language by digitizing our conversations, instead relying on a system in which, “A single emoji carries the weight of translating our mood; a bolded sentence stands in for tone of voice.”
“While these adaptations do help convey the message, they carry an oversized burden,” Bishop writes, explaining that to ensure communications in this changing environment remain effective, we must increase our empathy, patience and appreciation for one another.
This includes turning on webcams in meetings to regain real-time facial expressions and body language, as well as reassessing the sense of community within teams. Making meetings more personal and strengthening team bonds, Bishop explains, will give a better sense of each team member’s speaking style or baseline demeanor, leading to a more accurate interpretation of his or her messages.
Above all, Bishop explains, we must acknowledge the life-changing impact that the pandemic has had on people. Add this to the growing intensity of workdays, and you have a completely different workforce compared to three years ago. This change can be a good thing, if handled with care.
“The digital, remote work revolution…gives us the power to unlock the true potential of bonded teams, but we must first make sure that we do the emotional work to hear and be heard effectively through digital mediums,” writes Bishop. “Effective virtual communications begin with empathy, understanding and a willingness to accept the humanization of the workforce.
