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Just imagine you are at office in a tough client conversation and suddenly your colleague gets you up for a Chikmagalur taste coffee. On colleague's request you go and sit for a while at cafeteria ☕.
Suddenly you get emotional ๐ ๐ญ and start sharing the context of email ✉️ you are about to write for this client. Your colleague starts listening ๐ and shares a creative and crazy ๐คฃ approach which exactly ๐ฏ worked for you to handle that situation.
Do you feel this support and innovative ideas ๐ก discussion so possible at work from home? Currently people are of sense that technology is helping to facilitate work from home. At the same time technology cannot give you that human support and feel as you can get being with a large team.
Brainstorming ๐ง sessions, casual chats ๐ by the watercooler and spontaneous meetings can all spark new ideas. Remote work can limit these interactions, hindering the exchange of ideas and the formation of creative bonds between colleagues.
Studies suggest physical proximity strengthens "weak ties" - those casual connections that can lead to unexpected collaborations and insights. Remote work can make these chance encounters less likely.
It's not that there is complete downside of work from home ๐ . There are few potential upsides of remote ๐ฅ️ work for innovation, such as increased focus time. Remote work can offer fewer distractions, allowing for deeper focus and uninterrupted work sessions, which can be crucial for creative problem-solving.
The impact of work from home on innovation is a complex issue with both pros and cons. Its obvious that impact of remote work on innovation depends on how it's managed. Organisations that prioritize fostering a sense of community and develop strong communication channels can mitigate the downsides.
And also, embracing a hybrid model that allows for as much as possible in-person interaction might be the sweet spot for fostering innovation in a remote work environment.
Source: Contribution from Credence Learning Foundation.