The number of companies implementing telework has increased in Japan, but since employees do not come to the office, there are fewer opportunities for communication between employees and with their superiors.

Since it is not possible to quickly "report, contact, and consult", there are many companies that are experiencing a decline in employee productivity and a deterioration in business performance.

However, it would be too early to think that telework (remote work) has a negative impact on communication.

This is because, while it is true that there will be fewer opportunities to talk with people in the company, if you can work from home, you will have more time to talk with your children and family.

Therefore, it cannot be said that the disadvantage of telework is that it tends to lead to a lack of communication.

This time, we will introduce what causes lack of communication in telework, examples of conversation accidents, and countermeasures.

Many companies that allow their employees to telework use online tools such as "Skype, ZOOM, ChatWork, YouTube, and webinars" to communicate with their employees.

All of the above IT tools can be used for "free" with the simplest plan.

The problem is that not all employees have knowledge of computers and IT equipment, so even if companies rent out the tools necessary for telework, they cannot use them well.

People without IT literacy will find it difficult to establish online communication using computers and IT equipment.

As a result, they don't even know how to download online tools such as "Skype, ZOOM, ChatWork, You Tube, and webinars", and the means of contacting the company are limited.

In that case, the only way to contact the company is by fax or telephone, which has long been used as a means of communication. I don't think so.

Also, among employees of companies that implement telework, those who have knowledge of personal computers and IT equipment and are working smoothly from home or on the go can contact the company through online communication. Nonetheless, there is a lack of communication compared to going directly to the company and having a conversation.

When telework is implemented, there are fewer opportunities to meet face-to-face with company employees, colleagues, and superiors, so remote work (telework), which requires intentional contact, causes a lack of communication.

And in an environment where you use the Internet to make video calls or hold meetings with people at work, work-related conversations tend to take precedence, so greetings and small talk tend to decrease.

Usually, when I go to work and do office work, there are morning meetings, lunch breaks, and closing meetings, so there are opportunities for employees to exchange greetings and chat with each other at such times.

When you start telework, this kind of opportunity will decrease, which will cause a lack of communication.

In addition, while it is easier to share information more quickly and broadly by going to work and having face-to-face conversations, telework does not necessarily mean that employees are working at the same time.

As a result, it may take time to share information.

In telework, where it is not possible to talk directly with employees, colleagues, or superiors, it is becoming increasingly common to write sentences via e-mail or chat as a means of communication.

In that case, it may take time for the other party to confirm and reply, and there is a risk that the work content will not be conveyed well to the other party, and there will be a gap in communication.

The number of companies that are teleworking is gradually increasing, but not all companies are doing business smoothly every day.

Lack of communication is a big problem, and compared to going directly to the company and having a conversation, "quality, quantity, and productivity" will often decline.

In addition, mistakes and troubles tend to occur due to the inability to confirm what is necessary for work and the lack of smooth information sharing.

Conversation accidents that actually occurred due to lack of communication in telework include the following.

・Wrong information was conveyed to the other party because information sharing did not go smoothly

・Lost the trust of business partners and customers

・Even if you talk online because you can't work in the same space, the motivation of employees has decreased.

・It became difficult to see the direction of the company and department due to the decrease in opportunities to share information, and the goal was lost.

・There are fewer opportunities to meet face-to-face and have a conversation, and it is difficult to understand the other person's expression, so it is difficult to convey emotions and conversations are no longer enjoyable.

As mentioned above, there are conversation accidents that actually occurred due to lack of communication in telework, and there is a fear that it will have a negative impact not only on employees but also on business partners and customers.

If you are a small and medium-sized company with a small number of elite employees, the president or boss may be able to overcome the problem of lack of conversation as described above by carefully educating employees so that they can respond to telework. I guess.

Large companies have hundreds or thousands of employees, and telework makes it difficult to understand the behavior of each employee, making it difficult to overcome the problem of lack of communication. Isn't it?

I've been telling you that telework tends to be a lack of communication.

However, if some measures are not taken, the productivity of employees will not improve forever, and many employees will have a habit of slacking off, and the company will be on the back foot.

Some companies have introduced "various online tools" as a countermeasure against lack of communication during telework.

In addition to online tools such as “Skype, ZOOM, ChatWork, You Tube, and webinars,” we have also introduced a “management app” to understand the behavior of each employee, and have them work in the same space as much as possible. There are also places that take

Doing so makes it easier to share information, and if you work in the same time zone, you have the advantage of faster responses to emails, chats, video calls, etc.

In addition, there are companies that have adopted tools for sharing schedules and work status, as well as whiteboards and mind maps that can be used in an Internet-based environment as countermeasures against lack of communication. I'm going.

The number of companies that are implementing telework is gradually increasing in Japan, but instead of not having to come to the office in person, there are fewer opportunities for communication between employees, colleagues, and superiors.

As a result, emails and chats are often used, and it tends to be difficult to smoothly convey the work content and information necessary for work to the other party.

While repeating trial and error, companies are trying to facilitate telework, but it is still difficult.

Countermeasures against lack of communication will likely become an issue for many companies in the future.