The Importance for WFH Employees to Meet in Person at Company Off-Sites

Introduction

If you’re a company who’s looking to host more Off-Sites, here are some key facts for why this is a good idea for your employees’ mental health! Our Toronto Event Space Venue is available for rent and we host plenty of Company Off-Sites meetings all the time!

Working From Home?

Over the past few years, an increasing number of businesses have accepted remote work as a realistic alternative for their employees. While many workers find remote work to be a flexible and handy alternative, it can also cause feelings of loneliness and disconnection. For distant workers, having in-person meetings is essential. In this post, we'll discuss the value of face-to-face meetings for remote workers and use peer-reviewed published research to support our findings.

Human Need Social Time

Humans are sociable creatures that thrive on relationships with others. Negative emotions like loneliness and sadness are more likely to strike when we're alone. This can be a big problem for remote workers because they might go days or even weeks without seeing someone in person. One of the major difficulties of working remotely, as stated by 21% of remote workers, is loneliness, according to study done by Buffer. Remote workers can overcome these emotions of isolation and re-engage with the social sphere by meeting in person.

Why Meet in Person?

Meeting in person can enhance cooperation and communication as well. Remote work is now possible thanks to digital communication tools like email, messaging applications, and video conferencing, but they can also foster a sense of separation. When you are not in the same room as someone, it is more difficult to read their body language and recognise social indicators. Misunderstandings and communication problems may result from this. When distant workers get together in person, they are better able to cooperate, form stronger bonds, and communicate.

Face-to-face communication is in fact the most successful type of communication, according to study. According to a UCLA study, only 7% of communication is based on the words we speak; the other 55% is based on body language, and the other 38% is based on voice tone. This means that the great majority of the communication cues that aid in understanding what is being said are lost when we converse online. Remote workers can take advantage of the complete range of communication signals and prevent misunderstandings when they physically meet.

More Benefits of Meeting in Person

Meeting in person can be a strong motivation as well. Working alone at home may be isolating, and being separated from your coworkers makes it simple to lose motivation. Remote workers can rekindle their motivation and enthusiasm for their profession by getting together in person. When you interact with your coworkers in person, you are reminded of the goal and mission of your work and can rediscover your enthusiasm for it. In fact, a study indicated that remote workers who met in person had better levels of motivation and engagement than those who did not, according to research published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.

Meeting in person has another advantage in that it helps improve team relationships. Remote workers have the chance to forge closer bonds with their coworkers when they physically interact. Remote workers can establish a stronger sense of connection and rapport by conversing and exchanging experiences in person. Increased trust and collaboration within the team may result from this. In fact, a study by the Society for Human Resource Management discovered that team-building exercises were the best approach to develop a supportive work environment.

Conclusion

It's important to remember that a face-to-face encounter doesn't have to be all or nothing. Even if you can't get together frequently, like once a week or every day, you should still try to do so. A Harvard Business Review study found that remote workers who had at least one annual face-to-face meeting reported better levels of engagement and job satisfaction than those who did not. This implies that even sporadic in-person interactions can have a big influence on distant workers' productivity and well-being.

In conclusion, face-to-face meetings are essential for remote workers. By reducing isolation and enhancing cooperation and communication,