[Internal LT Conference] Why is remote work difficult? 6 Persian cat solutions

Hello!
I'm Inoue, the Persian cat at Beyond Shikoku office.

On Wednesday, May 13th, our company held an internal lightning talk (LT) competition, with the theme "Telework Know-how."
Although I have no experience with teleworking, I have done more remote work than anyone else at Beyond. So
, as someone who works remotely from a location far from headquarters, I
gave a presentation on the theme of "What we do to ensure everyone can work comfortably even when we are apart."

Why is communication over a screen so difficult?

① Problems with image quality that make it difficult to see facial expressions
, or problems with the distance to the camera.
When it's difficult to see the other person's facial expressions, it becomes difficult to read their emotions, making communication difficult.
② Difficulty hearing voices, and difficulty asking for clarification if you didn't hear something.
There are many times when the voice cuts out due to network problems, or the other person's voice is too quiet to hear. You
might feel it's rude to ask for clarification multiple times, so even
if you can't hear well, it's hard to say, "I couldn't hear you, could you please repeat that?"
③ Difficulty in grasping the atmosphere (vibe) on the other side
if someone is busy and stressed, or if
the screen. When you're in the same space, you can sense

through a screen, and you tend to miss the right timing to speak. When you're on screen, even casual conversations are audible to everyone,
difficult to have casual daily communication, and it takes time to build relationships
. For this reason, I once struggled greatly with relationships and building trust with my colleagues.
Now in my second year of remote work, I'd like to share what I've continued to do.
I hope this will be helpful in overcoming the challenges of remote work and telework!

When greeting someone, it's important to laugh loudly, smile, and make eye contact!

A "smiling voice" is a voice that conveys a sense of laughter even when you can't see the other person's face.
In remote work, voice communication is more common, so speaking with a smiling voice creates a positive impression.
A smiling voice also gives the impression of being energetic, so you'll naturally tend to speak in a louder
Actually smiling will naturally produce a smiling voice.
If you find it difficult to smile, try consciously raising the corners of your mouth.
Also, even if you're busy and focused on your computer screen, even a quick
glance at the person on the other side of the monitor will convey that you are responding to their greeting.

Use "Thank you!" as a catchphrase

Japanese people tend to say "I'm sorry" when someone does something for them, but it seems that
saying "thank you" conveys gratitude more effectively and increases the sense of happiness for both parties.
When I receive a small compliment or when someone says "thank you" to me,
I say "thank you" with the feeling of "thank you for saying thank you." I
"thank you" is a magic word that makes both the speaker and the receiver feel good,
so I try to use it often.
If we stop saying "thank you" because we take it for granted, then there will be no more occasions to say "thank you."

Use magic words that will improve your communication skills

my previous blog post, I introduced the concept of "complimenting others," which
involves making it a habit to compliment people when you notice changes in them or when you find something you like about them.
like, "Did you get a haircut?" or "Your outfit today is cute,"
can create communication.
Complimenting others is an essential action for building good relationships.
Even just interjecting with phrases like "That's lovely" or "That's wonderful" throughout a conversation
can increase the sense of happiness that comes from that conversation.

The reaction is big

Why make your reactions bigger?
through a screen
to convey emotions and communicate effectively
While gestures are important, nodding while the other person is speaking is also crucial.
Since it's harder to convey through a screen, nod more emphatically than you would in a face-to-face conversation.
This shows that you are listening,
and the other person will find it easier to talk because they can see your reaction.
Just as it's important to make eye contact when speaking face-to-face,
it's equally important to look at the person on the other side of the screen when speaking through a screen.

You have to take control of your own mood

Of course, there are days when you feel good and days when you feel bad.
However, the emotions that are most easily conveyed to others are "anger" and "sadness" from the "joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure" spectrum.
This is true even when communicating through a screen.
Even if you can't hear someone's voice clearly when they're talking, a sigh at a random moment can be heard loudly even through the screen.
I think negative emotions are
easily conveyed to people, whether face-to-face or through a screen. Emotions are strangely contagious, so it's important to "take care of your own mood."
Working in a negative atmosphere will inevitably lower performance.
Whether you're in the same space or working through a screen, I think everyone wants to work in a pleasant environment
, so try practicing "taking care of your own mood."

I can't read the atmosphere very well. I'll try to be bold

My strength is my ability to sense the nuances of other people's feelings. But that's also my weakness. I
just can't read the atmosphere and mood of an office through a screen.
miss the right timing to talk to someone because I'm too sensitive to the atmosphere.
I often
Sometimes, if I'm a little bolder and just speak up, the other person is surprisingly receptive.
It's very difficult to read the atmosphere when communicating through a screen, but
sometimes it might be important to deliberately ignore the atmosphere.

Do what anyone can do, but better than anyone else!

The secret to smooth communication across screens is actually simple and something anyone can do.
However, what's difficult is that in the familiar environment of daily work and familiar colleagues,
people unconsciously treat others carelessly without any ill intent.
"Don't treat greetings carelessly"—that
's common sense, right?
But don't you sometimes go to work as usual and give a half-hearted greeting?
If you could say "Good morning!" with a smile and energy every day, the atmosphere at work would surely improve.
I believe that even small efforts like these can greatly change human relationships. I'm
in my second year at Beyond. I've been working
remotely the whole time and have struggled with how to communicate.
But I feel that I've been able to improve my relationships with just these six simple things.
I think the biggest problem between locations is communication among employees.
that those of you who are working remotely like me, those working from home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus
, and of course those who go to the office every day and work with your usual colleagues will
try these things out, and that wonderful communication will be born from them.

Growing every day, moving forward every day.
I must update myself every single day!!!
Thank you for reading to the end.