On days when employees spend more time in virtual meetings, they experience more time in a state of ... [+]
Replacing in-person meetings with with virtual ones can significantly improve employee wellbeing and worker performance, according to new research.
In a study, led by Wladislaw Rivkin, an associate professor at Trinity Business School, observed the working habits and performance of 179 employees over the course of 1,071 workdays.
Rivkin and his collaborators concluded that on days when employees spend more time in virtual meetings, they experience more time in a state of “flow”, which he defines as “a peak state of intrinsic motivation.”
This intense focus leads to less mental fatigue during the day. More time spent in virtual meetings also tended to reduce the time employees spent engaging in what the academics referred to as counterproductive behavior, like procrastination.
“These findings challenge the prevailing narrative surrounding the costs of virtual meetings, offering a fresh lens through which organizations can evaluate and optimize their virtual communication strategies,” Rivkin commented. “In the era of hybrid work, recognizing and harnessing the potential of virtual meetings to improve employee functioning and well-being is crucial,” he added.
The study provides a fresh perspective for businesses, human resource professionals, and leaders at a time when many organizations are weighing return to the office mandates.
Research from workplace design and construction company Unispace recently showed that 72% of companies have return-to-office (RTO) mandates. And a Resume Builder study shows that 90% of companies plan to have RTO mandated by the end of 2024.
