The workforce has quickly become used to the remote culture, particularly in the technology space. It is safe to say that we made the shift to the virtual space to adapt safely and keep business moving forward. Now, it seems that remote meetings are here to stay for efficiency and convenience. Like any change, the differences create a ripple effect impacting previous norms. The main one, meeting in person.
Here are some recent Remote Work Statistics for context:
Prior to the Pandemic, a flexible/hybrid workplace was offered to 7% of the US workforce.
As of 2022, 26% of the US workforce population will work remotely (nearly 4x the amount prior to the pandemic)
61% of remote workers expect to be working hybrid for the next year and beyond.
This context is important when you consider the increase in people that are making a living from home. It can be perceived as an inconvenience to leave and meet people in person, depending on the person’s philosophy. In a fast-paced lifestyle of churning out projects and products, the ability to take a meeting from the comfort of your home was once a highly touted privilege. In a reaction to adapt - there has been a shift in mindset across the country, meetings are just a “Zoom link” away. Commutes are now a walk to the home office, rather than time spent in traffic.
This has only confirmed how important face to face meetings are for us and to others. There is so much credibility and rapport built in person that we will always miss over a computer, naturally. There is a respect we give each other in person that we will not be distracted by our second screen, that email that comes in, or our pup barking in the background. We understand that it doesn’t always work to meet, but when it does, we find a lot of importance in the mutual focus on the person in front of us.
As a company, HireRising highly values spending time in person with candidates and clients. We practice this by having onsite client meetings, lunches with candidates, and quarterly client events. Our business is built on relationships. Although remote work can be convenient and allow time to find a balance between work and life, finding the time to be face-to-face is critical when working within the people business. It allows our business to move beyond a face on a screen, to creating meaningful relationships and making an impact on the people we work.
Sources:
Aimee. “5 Reasons Why Face to Face Meetings Are Still Important.” Yarnfield Park, 27 Aug. 2021, https://www.yarnfieldpark.com/blog/why-face-to-face-meetings-are-still-important.