A year ago, as lockdowns began, we were cut off suddenly from our normal modes of informal communication. Body language, people seen from a distance, offhand comments and all those other small signals that make up the majority of the way we understand others.
As we grappled for handholds, we found ourselves overwhelmed with great technology to fill the communications void. Zoom. Slack, Teams and others filled the formal gap. We came to terms with being on extended calls where we were always visible as we multi channeled from our kitchens, bedrooms and for those of us lucky enough, home offices. It felt at times like being in some sort of constant meeting assessment centre, being visible, recorded and judged like some weird(er) version of the Truman Show.
When I looked for some data on productivity during this time, I was spoilt for choice. Depending on source, it had either rocketed or collapsed depending on the positioning of the authors and sponsors. I think it's fair to say it's done…
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Outside the Walls to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.