The ‘great detachment’: How to help workers feel connected at work

This article was originally published in Canadian HR Reporter – written by Jim Wilson.

'Employees that are engaged are happier and happier employees perform better'

The ‘great detachment’ is taking over Gen Z workers at many workplaces, according to a report.

That’s largely because of the remote work setup, finds a previous Gallup study.

The great detachment refers to “how employees – and I would say in particular, younger employees – don't feel connected,” says Janet Candido, founder and principal of Candido Consulting Group, in talking with Canadian HR Reporter.

“They don't feel engaged with their employers. In its simplest terms, they don't have that connection.”

The average Canadian remote worker speaks to someone else only 4.2 times a week - or about once per day, according to the survey published in the Financial Post. As a result, 50 per cent of Gen Z participants noticed a decline in their social skills, and 25 per cent reported a decline in verbal skills.

Similarly, a previous Preply report found that over four in 10 (43 per cent) Canadians believe that their social skills have declined due to limited in-person interactions during remote work.

This should be a cause for concern for employers, says Candido.

“When employees aren't engaged with the company, their performance is not as good,” she says, adding that it can spell as much as a 10 per cent difference in performance. 

“Also, employees that are engaged are happier and happier employees perform better. So, if you have a team of people that are disengaged, what that means is you have a team of people that don't really care how well the company is doing: They don't see how their work matters, they don't recognize the contribution that they're making, they're not linked to the company's success, they're not linked to each other.”

Why are so many employees disengaged at work?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many interns who experienced remote working viewed their experience negatively, according to a previous Glassdoor report.

Workers who came into the workforce during or after the health crisis simply do not have the in-office experience to be able to connect with the company, says Candido.

Before the pandemic, “whether we were conscious of it or not, we were learning social skills,” she says. “We learned how to read body language. We learned how to talk to our colleagues. 

“People who were hired either during or post the pandemic don't have that office experience to fall back on, especially if they're working fully remotely. But even if they're coming in and they're in a hybrid situation, they don't have the experience of working with other people. So, they don't have the social skills, they don't have the communication skills.”

Most Canadian workers are OK with heading back to the office – but employers do not seem to be ready to meet their needs, according to a previous report from Cisco.

How to engage a younger workforce

Making the return to office experience worthwhile is a good place to start for employers to fight the great detachment among young workers, says Candido.

“You have to create experiences during the day that bring them together, that, first of all, justifies for them why they came in. Because if they're just going to sit at their desk and work, they might as well be at home. 

“So, justify why they came in, but also create those opportunities to connect with other people in a more meaningful way, so that they do start to develop those skills.”

Another important option is mentoring – especially when it comes to soft skills and people skills, she says.

Also, communication is key to engaging Gen Z workers, says Candido.

“And by communication, I mean two-way communication, not just you as a leader telling people what's going on. Although that's important – telling them what's going on, what they are doing that's good, help them connect their contribution to the company's success — all those things are good. 

“But to really engage them, you also need to have communication from them. So, give them opportunities to contribute their ideas, their opinions, their suggestions. It gives them more of a sense of ownership over the work that they're doing and more of a connection with the company.”

Employers might want to re-evaluate their employee recognition and feedback mechanisms, because employees are finding them uber-important in the conduct of their work, according to one expert.

Candido also suggests team-building activities, sharing meals during lunch or dinner with workers and other bonding experiences for workers. It’s also important to engage both people who are in the office and those who work remotely in these activities, she says.

Benefits Canada: Employers can help gen Z workers feel less isolated through social activities, mentoring: Experts

This article was originally published in Benefits Canada – written by Sadie Janes.

Generation Z workers may be feeling more disconnected or isolated due to the effects of remote work, but employers can help by providing opportunities for connectivity, says Alexandra Duba, people experience advisor at Xero Ltd.

“It has so much to do with how the [coronavirus] pandemic impacted in-person connection, as well as the impact technology has had on in-person connection over the last decade. Even though we can feel like we’re more connected because of technology, sometimes I think it also inhibits us from feeling a genuine sense of connectivity. And the younger generation seems to be impacted the most.”

Janet Candido, founder and principal at Candido Consulting Group, agrees young workers may be at a social disadvantage due to the effects of the pandemic and remote work. “Older generations have pre-pandemic experience of working in the office, so they had the ability to hone their social skills. A lot of gen Z workers were hired during the pandemic, so they started off working remotely and many still are. Because of this, many don’t have that exposure to know how to read social cues and interact with a colleague. It sounds pretty basic, but it [can lead to feelings of isolation].”

Duba recognizes gen Z workers are more technologically savvy, which can help them adjust in a new work environment, but if they haven’t had much organic in-person experience working with others, it can feel unsettling.

The best way to overcome these feelings is through practice, she adds, noting employers can help by creating platforms for connectivity through in-person meetings and social activities. “When you’re in a remote or hybrid setting . . . it’s on the employer to build programs and engagement opportunities. But when you have a mix of workers at home and in the office, it can be hard to coordinate that. I don’t think there’s a one-size-fits-all solution, but it’s mainly about trying to create opportunities for people to have those moments of connectivity.”

If employers have concerns, Candido suggests they try to bring younger workers into the office periodically, even those who are fully remote. Also, it would help if they ensured the trip to the office is worthwhile for these employees so they’re not just heading straight to their desks to work with their head down, she adds.

“[Foster] those social connections by having group meetings or brainstorming sessions. Get them all together for lunch or something that allows employees to mingle so they can develop the social skills needed at work. General social awareness . . . can be improved [through] coaching and mentoring [as well].”

Benefits Canada Interview: Younger workers experiencing difficulties cultivating soft skills amid rise in remote working

This article was originally published in Benefits Canada – written by Lauren Bailey.

Although there are many benefits to remote working arrangements, such as a reduced commute and improved work-life balance, younger employees who work remotely aren’t practising their soft skills and a lack of social interaction may negatively impact their professional lives in the long run, says Janet Candido, founder and principal of human resources consultancy Candido Consulting Group.

Many young employees haven’t experienced a real office environment, where spontaneous discussions often come up without scheduled virtual meetings, she says, adding if these workers don’t have the ability to cultivate their soft skills, they won’t be as effective in their roles or move forward in their careers. She cautions that this disconnection from work or lack of a pathway to leadership roles could lead to ‘quiet quitting.’

“To advance within a company, employees need face time with the people who make those decisions. If [they] can’t get that face time, it can trigger some people to just leave their companies.”

Some employers are solving this issue by moving to a hybrid working arrangement, providing employees with opportunities to learn and practice their social skills in the workplace, says Candido. However, because white-collar employees have been so isolated as a result of the coronavirus pandemic’s shift to remote working, social interactions may not happen organically in the workplace, so employers may have to be intentional about bringing people together, informally and formally through coaching.

This training can be hosted virtually as well, she says, noting as long as employees are tasked with team-building exercises and receive coaching on using their soft skills, they’ll gradually start to demonstrate those skills when they’re in group settings.

Candido believes employers are doing themselves a disservice when discussions about the return to the workplace are centred around concerns that employees aren’t as productive working from home. “They’re better off talking about the culture and career growth [opportunities] employees have when they’re part of a [team environment] and how it prepares them for the rest of their career.”