Social connections are important to happiness, health, and overall feelings of connectivity to society. Lack of these connections can lead to isolation, decreased self-esteem, and a shorter lifespan. The negative effects of loneliness can start to set in within just over one day of not socializing.
But what if you have a remote job where you spend 50% of your time remote and the other 50% on site? The impact on your socialization health can be greatly impacted by the sway in person versus telecommute.
If your an introverted person among large groups such as myself, but very much an extrovert when around those you are comfortable or are leading…What is that called? Possibly just a slightly less version of multiple personality disorder. Now, I’m not saying it like a version of the movie Split, but it could certainly cause you to wonder about the connections we are making with those in our inner circle and this includes those we converse with at work.
Working in a very unfriendly and non-supportive environment takes its toll, mentally, physically and emotionally. This unfriendly behavior can come from anywhere in the spectrum of your company, from top to bottom. Regardless of the “culture” within your company or the perceived culture. And yet, the culture, it where it begins. You can’t complain about the culture, if you’re not doing anything to correct it, remember “if your not part of the solution,you’re part of the problem.”
Now, back to my original subject. (I constantly hop on and off topic.) Socialization in the workplace should take place regularly, not to obstruct productivity, but rather to enhance it. There are even companies out there, that designs and creates products geared towards helping “employees” connect and socialize for onsite as well as remote workers. With remote working becoming ever so popular, it is more important than ever to feel connected. One poll taken through the Huffington Post states that socializing improves productivity by nearly 44%.
So, connect. Not just on a professional level, but personally as well. Ask people about their families and hobbies. Get to know the PEOPLE that you work with. Ever want to get to know your CEO or COO a little better? Remember, they are just people too and often the ones most affected by the lack of socialization. If you’re on the bottom, just reach up and out, after all, don’t we all just want to connect?
E.W. 