TO ZOOM OR NOT TO ZOOM?

As we emerge blinking into the bright light of the new norm, shell shocked and a tad bewildered from the last few months, is it time to take stock and decide on where we go from here? Within T&D we have certainly had our challenges and needed to adapt a great deal but I don’t think we are alone in that. What we have experienced must be duplicated throughout many different departments. I hope therefore that the following points apply to quite a few and prompt a few discussions.

So Zoom (other video conferencing facilities are available) is the way to go. We can conduct training, meetings, one-to-ones and general catch-ups now from the safety of our kitchen tables. Thereby saving costs, time and dry-cleaning bills as we avoid spending money on iced mocca latte choccas in anonymous coffee bars, time stuck in motorway gridlocks and keeping our best travel suits looking pristine and wrinkle free. In fact, surely we never have to leave the house again. In theory, we could now spend our entire career working with people that we have never physically met!

So why do I feel a bit uneasy? Why does all this new found ability leave me with a sense that maybe the opportunity presented has the potential to not be quite the Utopia that we may be hoping for?

Let’s start with evaluation. A key staple within any training department and I would argue a necessary requirement at the end of any meeting (maybe effective meetings is another topic worth discussing). How do we know that those we are training understand the messages? At the end of the event, is there enough knowledge or skill transference to effect a change and make a difference to the output?

Evaluation face to face is pretty straightforward. Body language is responsible for 55% of how we communicate and that is therefore straightforward when conversing with someone in person. Throw in questioning techniques, thoughtful silences and all those other small ways in which we understand one another and the challenge is how much of this can be gleaned from a head and shoulder view of someone on a laptop, especially when its amongst 4 or 5 others? 

The next challenge for me is this. Surely being in the same room as someone else gives us a much bigger sense of satisfaction and reward than communicating remotely? The interaction with others in a training/ meeting room can be enjoyable. It strengthens understanding between individuals and friendship bonds that are so essential to productive working relationships.

So, my third, final and potentially most important point. Mental well-being. Humans are a social animal. With the odd exception of those who purposefully choose to avoid contact with others and seek a lonely existence in far off places, most of us enjoy being with others. We like company. We like being with others. What are the ramifications of preventing what comes naturally to us?

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m now not advocating we dump video conferencing. I suppose what I am saying in summary, is, that it has many great advantages. And we would be wise to not walk away from it and slip back completely into old ways. But and there is a but, we need to be careful. Treat it with respect. Surely it should be part of what we do and not all of what we do?