After discussing the opportunities, let’s talk about a downside. The Wall Street Journal digs into the challenges of communications over tools like Slack and Teams. “California employment lawyer Amber Bissell says she has noticed an uptick in harassment complaints related to online communications. Some companies say they have installed tracking tools to police online channels for signs of bullying.”
The article, while not data driven, focuses on several interviews on those dealing with harassment or struggles of communications online.
Toxicity in a workplace happens regardless of communication means. That said, culture is harder to manage remotely. The data I’ve seen (and covered on the August 6th episode) shows that more controls are not the answer.
Two parts – in your own organization, investment in culture will pay off. For your customers, ensure you don’t try and solve a culture problem with technology. It won’t pay off long term – it’s also not the highest value.
Source: Wall Street Journal