As the hybrid era unfolds, the benefits of in-person work are increasingly misunderstood. To get the most out of your time together as a team, you need to be aware of the common myths about in-person work.
Myth #1: People learn more effectively in person. Because it rarely affords opportunities for meaningful practice and feedback, in-person learning is often less impactful than well-designed virtual learning. Make an effort to regularly design these types of experiences for your team.
Myth #2: In-person events help create (or strengthen) culture. Culture is built upon what your team experiences all day, every day at work—not what they experience when they step away from the normal routine for a workshop, keynote, or holiday party. Don’t depend on these outlier events; commit to building a healthy culture in the day-to-day, hybrid flow of things.
Myth #3: In-person gatherings are necessary to give people a break from screens. Healthy screen habits shouldn’t depend on where your employees are working from. They can—and should—be developed remotely, too. Encourage both your remote and in-office employees to unplug routinely.
Myth #4: Networking and human connection can only happen in person. False! People have long been able to develop meaningful relationships by writing letters and emails and speaking on the phone. Add video calls to that list.