Tucker

No matter what the official line is, the workplace is an environment filled with subtle ideas, myths and working styles that distort our understanding of people.

We need to discard the myths and attempt to diminish the power of perception and the mental landscapes that shape our reality.

On average, employees who do the majority of their work on computers are distracted almost every ten minutes.

Most of the interruptions are external - an incoming email or a colleague stopping by to chat. But a significant proportion also comes from the individuals who voluntarily switch tasks.

1. WE-STRENGTH - This is the type of praise where the entire team is elevated and pushed forward.
2. ME-STRENGTH - This is the type of praise wherein it makes an individual employee stronger. It is where the person is most comfortable, joyous, and focused on work that brings them satisfaction.

However, it is important to keep in mind that every employee has different strengths where their we-strength could be intrinsically different from their me-strength.

One can take cues from how coworkers trust each other by their body language, the way they interact on Slack, or how relaxed and casual they are around each other.

If help is sought after, and clarifications are prompt, even during virtual (Zoom calls) environments, one can gauge the level of trust in the workplace.

It's inevitable running into negative nancy at work or those who choose to undermine your capabilities. However, you get to decide how to handle people like them. You can either fight them or let them talk and not be bothered by what they say.

Every situation can be handled with grace as long as you let yourself do so. Take a deep breath and remember that what people say about you is ultimately a reflection of them and not you.

• Be curious about the other person.
• Your smile and will go a long way toward a positive first impression.
• Listen, then show you were listening.  
• Talk about your business in a casual, non-salesy way.
• Research attendees and come prepared with questions. 
• Introduce yourself with an anecdote that resonates.
• Learn how you can help each new connection.
•  Go in without a strict agenda and try to make a new friend. This takes the pressure off. 

Most companies embracing remote work also have dedicated headquarters. But remote-ish teams have even more communication and collaboration challenges than fully remote teams.

For example, in hybrid teams, remote employees are often left in the dark. Office workers are often heard, recognized, and promoted, while remote workers are forgotten.

It is quite possible that certain employees are not trusted by the manager, and there is a lack of confidence in their abilities. The employees are given lower-quality work or are micro-managed.

To rehabilitate the bosses trust, one has to first clarify the expectations and ask specific questions laying down what they want from you.

• Computers and the internet have made remote work a common arrangement, and this is a recent phenomenon. PC and internet access changed the shape of work in an unimaginable way, and the technical advances of the 90s, which was the Information Technology revolution, offices started using networked PCs and embraced e-mail.
• As the millennium happened, broadband access became cheaper, and a cheap audio communication software was released in 2003, which was called Skype, which evolved into video conferencing later, helping people connect professionally in a remote setting.

Companies are struggling to balance employee and public health with the maintenance of basic operations. The obvious answer is to go virtual and work from home.

But it is not that simple. Companies gain a subtle but profound value from social interaction. Productivity and sound decision-making rely heavily on informal communication, like coffee breaks. Employee trust relies on daily in-person interactions like nods of courtesy, morning greetings, and so on. Specific strategies can be implemented to preserve the social fabric essential to success.