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Key Takeaways 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. report feeling lonely, and roughly 1 in 4 lacks adequate social and emotional support, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Teams function best when they’re collaborating in person. But even if you work together in person, there are many reasons you may not see your coworkers: different schedules, offices, time zones, etc. Leaders should prioritize getting teams together at some point.
For many people, working from home exacerbates this feeling of disconnectedness. Even if your company is remote, it’s important to have face-to-face interaction — whether it’s a mandatory companywide retreat, convention, conference, etc.
When I look back at the last 20 (!) years of running my company, Jotform, one thing becomes crystal clear: My favorite memories are the times the whole team has been together in person.
For a programmer and known introvert, this may come as a surprise. You’d probably think I’d be happiest cloistered indoors, alone with my code and coffee. But you’d be wrong.
One of our most cherished traditions is what we call Jotformers Week, in which employees across nearly two dozen countries come together to collaborate, connect and take stock of what we’ve built, no Zoom link required. In addition to these retreats being tons of fun, we’ve also come up with some genuinely great ideas. And we collected the feedback from every participant after that week — with a Jotform, of course.
I’m an advocate for working in person because, in my experience, teams function best when they’re in the same room. But even among organizations for whom in-office work is the norm, there are plenty of reasons you may not see much of each other: different schedules, different offices, different time zones. Here’s why I think leaders should prioritize getting teams together, at least occasionally.
Why we need to interact in person
Humans are fundamentally social creatures, and right now, we’re living through something of an isolation crisis. Social media and increasingly, AI, create the impression of community, but in reality, they’re only making matters worse. In the U.S., about 1 in 3 adults reports feeling lonely, and roughly 1 in 4 lacks adequate social and emotional support.
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