COVID-19 has changed our attitude towards face-to-face meeting forever. In today’s article, we will talk about the importance of face-to-face interactions as well as when to do it. 

We want to first clarify that face-to-face meetings don’t have to be done by people in the same physical space; the benefits can also be achieved over a video conference call or a more informal video chat. 

The Covid-19 crisis has accelerated the adoption of new virtual ways to manage and communicate within teams.  Colleagues can collaborate regardless of their location and we can see the clear advantages of digital communication.

First of all, digital communication saves a lot of time for the quick and short clarifications between the attendees. They no longer have to take time to book and make it to the meeting room. If there were any last-minute changes, online calls dampen the disruption as everyone can still be working whilst waiting.

Now, let us quickly shift our focus back to face-to-face communication.

(1) Visual Communication Cues

The major difference right off the bat is that the social cues are much more perceptive by other attendees. For example, the body language and facial expressions. Not to mention most importantly, the engagement level for face-to-face communication is much higher and assured. Why is the perception of thoughts and feelings important you may ask?

We will get back right into this later. 

(2) Increase credibility

Trust isn’t easily built over text messages or video calls. It’s built through face-to-face connections, making eye contact and interpreting body language. This is especially true when you’re meeting someone for the first time. People generally empathise much more readily and quickly with people they have met before.

(3) Clear and concise communication

How many times has an email been misunderstood, misread or perceived by another party to be rude when that wasn’t the intention? Face-to-face conversations minimise the risk of miscommunication, promoting more effective communication practices in the workplace.

Sometimes encouraging face-to-face interactions can be as simple as persuading others to walk down the corridor or jump on a Zoom call, rather than sending an email. The importance of real conversations, in real-time and real rooms, should never be underestimated.

(4) Engagement levels

How many times have you faced a lukewarm response to chip in ideas via e-mail? I am pretty sure more than a handful! It just lacks the punch and engagement for the reader to participate. Face-to-face communication helps to build collaborative environments and immediately receive feedbacks and solutions to build upon one over the other. 

This environment fosters an electric brainstorming session that sets the tempo for the mind to feel interested enough to join. This is important for employee satisfaction as well as company culture and growth.

Sensitivity

In the digital age of smartphones, social media, texts, emails and instant messages, communicating has become faster and easier than ever, but for all the advancements in technology, nothing can quite replace the impact of face-to-face communications in the workplace. 

When addressing a sensitive topic like issues and feedback to staff members, a lot of things can be misinterpreted or lost via text or e-mail. Putting effort to engage the person is essential to the success of its delivery.