How to Communicate Effectively While Maintaining Social Distancing

Communication is a crucial part of how all businesses function. But one of the unfortunate realities of COVID-19 for companies is that effective communication has become more challenging than ever, largely because of social distancing and the need for large portions of the population to work from home.

It's highly likely that having substantial numbers of people working in different locations is something employers will have to get used to for the long term. Global Workplace Analytics predicts that up to 30% of employees could work remotely multiple days a week by the end of 2021.

You can't afford for communication to suffer as a result of this trend, so how can you ensure people can keep in touch and collaborate effectively when they're in different locations?

Maximize facetime

It's impossible to overstate the importance of face-to-face communication. When two people are speaking directly to one another, they pick up a lot of meaning and information from signals other than just the words the other person is saying. Body language, tone of voice and intonation are all good examples of indicators that are lost when people are conversing via digital channels like email.

Social distancing requirements mean some staff are expected to work remotely, but that doesn't mean colleagues can't speak face to face, even if it has to be virtually.

Video conferencing technologies like Google Meet, Zoom and Skype have soared in 2020. COVID-19 has played a big part in this trend, but video communication was already on the rise long before the pandemic.

Research shows:

• The global remote workforce has expanded by 140% since 2005
• Remote working was previously forecast to increase by 77% between 2019 and 2022
• 77% of remote workers report higher productivity levels when working from home

Video calls might not be quite the same as a traditional face-to-face conversation, but they do provide a sense of personal engagement and collaboration that's difficult to get from other forms of digital communication.

Remember social distancing doesn't always mean remote working

The increase in remote working is one of the clearest consequences of the need for people to distance themselves from others during the pandemic. However, in some industries like construction and manufacturing, it's impossible for workers to do their jobs from home.

But people who work at construction sites or factories will still be expected to maintain social distancing in the workplace, which can have consequences for communication. For example, workers on noisy manufacturing lines or building sites can't get close to each other and speak directly into their colleagues' ears.

Managers need to think about possible solutions to this problem, such as equipping employees with communication headsets. You could also consider putting new checks and precautions in place to minimize the risk of safety incidents occurring due to lapses in communication.

Check in more often

Managers who are physically separated from their staff need to double down on their efforts to check in with people and see how they're getting on. Showing employees that your virtual door is always open will be more important than ever in the unprecedented circumstances created by COVID-19.

For many people, remote working will be an entirely new experience, so you'll need to provide support to make the transition as easy as possible.

It's also important to consider that many employees will be struggling with stress, anxiety and other mental health concerns as a result of the pandemic. These effects could be exacerbated by feelings of loneliness and isolation, so it's vital to regularly reach out and communicate with your team members. You should also make a special effort to tell staff they can always come to you, whether it's to talk about work or personal matters.

Let people talk about things other than work

One of the most enjoyable and beneficial things about regular face-to-face communication in the workplace is that it helps colleagues develop relationships and form bonds with one another. This often comes from talking about things that aren't related to work.

Research in the US shows that four out of five people have at least one friend at work, and employees with friends report feeling happy more often.

It's important that staff are able to destress and have moments of levity and relaxation in their working days, and this often comes from impromptu conversations with colleagues and 'watercooler moments'. Giving your team some time for occasional discussions that aren't directly related to work can help ensure that relationships don't suffer because of social distancing.

You could even consider setting aside regular time slots each week specifically for non-work virtual catch-ups. This will encourage communication and show people that they're still part of a team, even if they're working at home.