THEremotely avoor offers flexibility and autonomy but can generate isolation, emotional tiredness and decrease in the sense of belonging. But there are Practical strategies to reconnect: from individual activation – how to create spontaneous relationship spaces and rediscover its impact – up to the role of the organization that can encourage authentic professional communities through significant meetings, empathic communication and involvement initiatives. The balance between person and company thus becomes a real alliance, capable of transforming smartworking into a full and satisfying experience.
I have been working for three years Almost exclusively in Smart Working And, if on the one hand I recognize the great usefulness for my private life and for daily management, on the other I realize that I am starting to suffer the effects. I feel more and more isolatedalone, sometimes almost invisible. I miss the social dimension of my work: the informal chatter, the direct comparison with colleagues not through a screen. The days seem more than ever dense with routine with few stimuli and in the evening I find myself tired and emptied. I begin to perceive a decrease in my sense of belonging and understanding the dynamics to the company, as if the thread that binds me to colleagues and the company was thinning itself. How can I face this situation without giving up the benefits of smartworking? Anna
The response of the expert
Dear Anna,
What you describe it is a widespread experience After years of remote work: Smartworkingwhile bringing great benefits in terms of Flexibility, personal management and productivitycan be experienced in a more critical way if the relational dimension is weakened. The need to feel part of a community and see the impact of one’s work in working dynamics are fundamental for ours emotional well -being and the sense of professional identity. The fact that you recognize this lack is already an important step, because it means that you are aware of your need and you can act to satisfy it.
Working remotely offers flexibility and autonomy but can generate isolation, emotional fatigue and decrease in the sense of belonging. (Getty Images)
How can you activate individually to fight this sense of insulation from smartworking?
The key word is BALANCE And everyone must find their own, because it depends a lot on the work style and personality of each. The first step is to recognize the discomfort and not to live it as an individual limit, but as a precious signal to the organization. Activating itself means talking about it with their own manager, proposing practical solutions (moments of meeting in presence, less formal discussion opportunities), and above all learning to give space also to one’s psychological well -being, not only to the production objectives. Making this need visible, without fear, helps to create a more authentic and inclusive culture for the entire team.
Smart working isolation: actions and proposals to be put in place
Cultivate intentional relationship spaces: Ask or propose the company moments of meeting in presence not only linked to formal meetings but also to social and innovations.
Recreate virtual “coffee breaks” outside the routines (The scheduled periodic ones risk creating relational embarrassment because they lived as “forced”): small light appointments to speak with colleagues without a working agenda, just to keep the human connection alive when you feel it is necessary.
Expand the relational network outside the digital: If it is not possible to see often with colleagues, you can still feed the social part through professional communities, associations or local groups that allow to deal live on common activities or interests.
Let’s try to experience belonging in a new way: Let’s ask ourselves what binds us to the company, what values are shared, what unique contributions we can bring. The most real sense of belonging is not only in physical contact, but in the awareness of one’s impact and the ideas and skills we make available.
What can the company do
What can the company do to avoid the reduction of the sense of belonging of its collaborators?
Even for organizations, balance is fundamental: filling routine virtual meetings agents, often without real content, does not favor the connection but makes it artificial and tiring. It is much more useful to organize Less encounters but more significant, With an agenda that also includes moments of sharing on the psychological climate, common challenges and on internal growth opportunities. In particular, the spaces of dialogue that stimulate the Creativity and innovation They help people feel part of a living and moving project.
It is also important to do periodic survey On this issue precisely for evidence of any situations of discomfort or psychological effort; it is often useful to create a network of Wellness Ambassador Appointed by each team just to create a working group that brings innovative ideas to attention.
The key is always an empathic communication, spontaneous and really interested
In a situation where smartworking can also cause mental fatigue from video calls (“zoom fatigue”), hyperconnection and technostress, an open, spontaneous, transparent and bidirectional communication therefore becomes the most powerful tool To keep the sense of belonging high and to balance the advantages and disadvantages of the instrument. We avoid falling into the monotony and standardization of calls and unnecessary meetings or dilating the agenda to cover the entire established time: we surprise our team by changing the program and introducing topics of comparison, innovative ideas and real interest in their well -being.
The balance between person and organization is not a compromise, but an alliance that generates value and energy for both.
Who is Monica Magri
I am an expert in the world of work and for over twenty -five years I have observed the changes. I work in human resources, I am coach and passionate about training and individual development: I love to intertwine these knowledge to accompany people and organizations in understanding transformations, finding new meanings and moving in change with confidence and clarity.
Lexicon of the new work It is a weekly space of questions and answers dedicated to those who want to orient themselves in a world of work that evolves quickly. Through keywords, reflections and concrete cases, this column offers ideas to interpret current challenges, discover new meanings and train a more conscious look at the transformations. Knowing and decoding the new rules of work means knowing how to read complexity, orient themselves with clarity and act more effectively.
You can write me to [email protected] For questions or suggestions: this column wants to be a useful comparison space to build together new reading and action tools in the world of work and personal growth.