The world of work seems a little flatter now than it did just a few years ago, thanks to remote work and video conferencing.
It reminds me of the military, where there are clear signals about who is who when in uniform. You can tell which branch of the military someone is in. And, you can see what rank they hold.
But, without a uniform, it is much harder to guess these details.
In a similar way, working from home has taken away many of the social cues that are normally present in the workplace. It is now difficult to see which designer shoes or clothes someone is wearing. And, in fact, the entire team might have switched to comfortable clothes for everyday wear.
Working from home and Zoom also take away some of the hierarchy present at in person meetings. Executives are no longer trying to snag the most influential seat at the conference room table. Video meetings also create a structure in which people are more easily able to speak up. And, forget status symbols such as cufflinks.
For remote workers, there are no longer bigger offices for people with bigger job titles. Everyone is a little more equal. We all are individuals working at our individual jobs.
There are many positives that come along with a flatter working world. But there are challenges. A flatter organization, for example, also means people will interact with one another at all levels. The normal hierarchy is less clear.
You’ll likely engage more than before with colleagues at higher and lower levels. Their age might be unclear, as well as how senior their roles are. One sure thing is every person should be treated with respect. This is such a key to working well as a virtual team.
Have you ever noticed that people sometimes change their behavior online? Some people, for example, are more comfortable being rude to others on Facebook and Twitter. The same can be said for remote work.
In addition to a flatter organization, relationships are shallower. When is the last time you had a deep conversation with a colleague? Do you know how many children your co-workers have? When did you last have lunch with anyone from work?
The less we know one another, and the more we’re interacting across the company, the more likely tension is to build. If you find yourself in this situation, try to remember we’re all part of one team. We should work together for common goals.
Angela Copeland, a leadership and career expert, can be reached at copelandcoaching.com