Companies of all sizes are still figuring out the right mix of in-person, virtual and hybrid working. Zoom and Microsoft Teams allow for efficient meetings with colleagues in different locations. Some organizations are pushing for in-face meetings. Business travel has returned, but some experts predict that pre-COVID levels of corporate travel will not return until 2026.
A 2020 study from Deloitte across hundreds of organizations and 8,000 employees shed some light on what employees prefer. The bottom line is that most employees want a mixture of work settings.
- Just over 10 percent want to work virtually.
- Just under 10 percent prefer to work exclusively in person.
- 22 percent stated a preference for more in-person time.
- 23 percent wanted more virtual work.
- 35 percent wanted an equal mixture of in-person and virtual work.
This study also explored the preferences by personality type. It is important to recognize that introverts and extroverts respond differently to each type of work setting. In general, introverts prefer virtual meetings while extroverts feel more comfortable with in-person meetings. Introverts are more discouraged than extroverts in any group meeting because people are not listening to each other, or several people are talking at once.
Group meetings are more complicated in a virtual environment. The moderator of a Zoom should set clear guidelines of how people should be recognized to speak. Organizations ought to set expectations for virtual meetings in terms of camera usage and when microphones should be muted. Progressive has a series of comical commercials about virtual meetings gone wrong.
Contact the Davidson Group for advice on creating an effective workplace. This includes training on virtual and hybrid meetings. We will ensure your new working practices are clearly communicated.
