Remote Work Did Something Surprising For Coworkers

Boston College researcher Vanessa M. Conzon expected remote work to pull coworkers apart, but she found that working from home brought colleagues closer together. She studied one professional services company over seven years as its staff moved from mostly working in person to mostly working remotely. Her research included 275 interviews and about 330 hours of watching how people worked. Most of the people she followed ended up working from home four or five days a week and meeting by video.

In the office, many people mostly saw each other as work colleagues. Once video calls began, coworkers caught glimpses of children, pets, and a friendly spouse in the background. In team chats, people shared photos of their kids, their animals, and meals they had cooked. Conzon found that this sharing built trust, even among people who had known each other for years. Workers felt safer admitting mistakes and asking for help. In one case, a coworker took over a teammate's tasks so he could care for his father. Conzon points out that this was a study of one company, so her findings suggest a benefit rather than prove it. Still, it is a lovely reminder that a little openness can build real friendship, wherever we happen to be sitting.