Honing your social skills while working from home

Remote work can cause us to neglect certain skills, such as empathy, active listening, and conflict resolution. But working from home doesn’t mean you have to stop honing these soft skills altogether. We might spend less time interacting with coworkers on a daily basis, but that makes every connection all the more meaningful — and presents an opportunity to practice your communication skills. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the importance of staying connected with our coworkers, and how you can practice empathy in your daily work interactions.

There are many benefits to remote work, and “many companies have reported greater productivity with people working remotely”, notes Forbes. But fostering moments for connection — with clients and coworkers alike — can often fall by the wayside as we work behind our screens. Career and executive coach Adriana Llames Cowdin, emphasizes that “it’s essential that social skills are at the forefront…the better you communicate and engage, the greater your success will be.”

So how can you improve your social skills and stay engaged in your job at the same time? Prioritize active listening, empathy, and connection on a daily basis.

Active listening goes beyond being present in the Zoom meetings and conversations you have with your coworkers — it requires you to be fully involved in the conversation taking place, and communicating your interest through attentive body language and vocal support. Active listening helps you become a necessary part of workplace conversations, and ensures that your team knows you’re invested in their thoughts and ideas. Don’t shy away from conflict, but instead embrace it as a chance to learn more about others and as an opportunity to improve your active listening.

Finding additional opportunities for connection throughout the week can bring your team together and form a sense of community that might be lacking during remote work. Think about the ways you would regularly connect while in office — grabbing coffee together, having a chat during lunch, joining someone at their desk for a work question — and translate them to your new environment. Schedule calls regularly with different team members, and “keep connections fresh and consistently growing” (Forbes). Your team will become stronger and your company culture will thank you for it.

Lastly, empathy is at the heart of all these tips. Empathy may not be the first skill that jumps to mind when you think about your work environment, but it’s just as important as any other skill you bring to the table. Career coach Salle Anne Carroll points out that “cultivating empathy and being professionally transparent with others goes a long way towards building strong, trusting work relationships”. Foster empathy in the workplace by reaching out to coworkers you might not have a lot in common with, and have conversations to understand their background and perspective. Explore life outside of your comfort zone and engage with those you might not normally interact with. Asking genuine questions and reaching out to hear more about your coworker’s day is the first step to building an empathetic and inclusive work environment.

Remote work has changed the landscape of our lives forever, and some of us may not be returning to the office anytime soon. But with active listening, empathy, and connection, you can create a meaningful work environment wherever you are.

iPondr@Work offers a program to organically create opportunities for these moments of connection. Activate your team members around human-stories and engage in meaningful conversation around the topics that matter at work and in our personal lives. Ready to bring empathy to your workplace? Learn more at ipondratwork.com!

This article is brought to you by iPondr@Work. Be sure to check out our website for more information on diversity in the workplace.