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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I manage a team where someone (or multiple people) are teleworking every day of the week.  I don't suspect anyone of not working (productivity is easy enough to monitor), but I really hate the resulting environment.  Since TW has been implemented, I've seen a drastic decline in teamwork, interpersonal communication, and general team morale.  It's not that people don't get along; it's just not a very dynamic work environment.

And I can't believe anyone who would tell me that having everyone on a conference call together is anywhere near as engaging as having everyone in a meeting.  All of you have kind of made that point by acknowledging that while you are on calls, you are folding laundry, watching news, making dinner, driving kids, etc.  Imagine an in-person meeting where someone is looking at their phone or reading a newspaper during the meeting.

- Guy who's in the office every day[/quote]

Studies disagree with you. The new open office floor plan, for example, which companies put in place to INCREASE communication and team work was just shown to LOWER communication and teamwork. People are protective of their privacy, so they will adapt and find ways to get it. They will IM for example, instead of chat, to get that privacy which totally negates why companies wanted open floor plans. They were also do things like put on noise canceling head phones which leads people to hesitate to talk with them unless absolutely necessary.

Harvard Business Review published this one: https://qz.com/work/1322146/a-harvard-business-school-study-found-open-plan-offices-have-a-surprising-effect-on-our-collective-intelligence/
[/quote]

That study compares open office plans to traditional office settings.  I don't see the relevance at all.

When employees are in the office, there is so much social interaction in the halls, in the doorways, in the breakroom, etc., that I believe it makes people more comfortable interacting with each other on a professional level as well.  As for meetings, it is difficult to hear, there's always somebody who can't seem to see the shared content, etc.  Sometimes it just helps to have everyone in the same room.

Don't misunderstand me - I know we're getting our work done.  I just don't think we're reaching our highest potential and/or highest level of job satisfaction and engagement.

[/quote]

It is very relevant - the workplace where everyone has an office is dying. Just because you cram people together doesn't mean they are going to work the way you want them to.

Also, not everything is team work. A lot of my work is managing things - clients who don't want to see me but need to email or talk to me by phone, responding to emails, writing a report or putting together a deck. I don't need to have a trust fall with my team every day. We don't need to be together every day. [/quote]

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