social-network doodles above headI play a game each day. Wherever I am, I count the number of people using their mobile devices.  And then I count the number of people actually talking directly to each other. Guess which one wins?

 

On the subway, I’ve gotten as high as 15 consecutive people on their devices; some were listening to music (because I could hear it even though they were using headphones), some were playing games, and others were reading. Once out of the subway, I pass by countless people doing the same. There are the tourists that stop mid-stride in the middle of the sidewalk to check for directions. There are people taking to someone on their phone about very personal issues as if no one else is around and not using their “inside voice”. Then, there are those trying to walk and text at the same time. They end up causing backups on the sidewalks and frustrating others that are trying to get to their location. These are only a few examples.

 

Once at work, the fixation with mobile devices doesn’t end. In fact, computers get added to the mix. Pings, dings and other sounds alert users to new messages and like Pavlov’s dogs, people immediately stop what they are doing to see what they received. This process continues throughout the day, on the commute home, and well into the night.

 

Given the level of disengagement in the workplace as reported by Gallup, Bersin by Deloitte, Hay Group, ATD, SHRM, etc., I started thinking about how we’ve allowed digital communication to replace personal, one-on-one, direct communication.

 

I was on a project with a large investment bank and my cubicle was adjacent to my manager’s cubicle.  There was only a small wall between us and yet, every time my manager wanted to tell or ask me something, she would instant message me.  Each time, I would pop my head over the cubicle wall and talk to her. After all, I was right there and I could talk faster than I could type. I spent more than six months on that project and she never figured out the importance of direct interaction over digital communication even though I continually asked her to talk to me instead of IMing me. How do you think that employee-manager relationship went? How many others suffer the same fate?

 

You can see why one of the top issues employees mention in employee engagement surveys is the need for a better employee-manager relationship. Given the hours, yes, HOURS, we spend on our devices each day, how many hours do we devote to interacting directly with our employees, coworkers, and friends?

 

I’m not saying social media or any particular device is bad. I’m saying that like everything else, there needs to be a balance. Track how much time you spend on your devices and on each social media site. And then, track how much time you interact directly with others. Compare the two.  I don’t think you’ll be surprised at what you find. Once you have your baseline, you can begin to consciously increase the percentage of direct interaction. People want to be seen and heard. Don’t reduce them to an email address, telephone number, or screen name.

 

Yes, I see the irony of using social media to talk about direct communication.  I hope this post will make you consider your digital and direct communication percentages.

 

 

What examples of digital device / social media obsession can you share? How would you describe your relationship with your manager in terms of digital versus direct communication?

 

 

Let’s Engage!

I’m Agent in Engagement Simpson…Gregory F Simpson.

 

Employee engagement is a critical mission. I hope I can count on your help! Subscribe to the RSS Feed to receive the latest intelligence/insights and/or register to make entries in the comments log.

I'm Simpson....Gregory F Simpson, Agent in EngagementYou can follow me @agtinengagement.
Email me at g…@a…t.com.
Connect via LinkedIn at LinkedIn.com/in/GregoryFSimpson.
Learn more about me at gregoryfsimpson.com.

 

 

P.S.  First contact? Welcome to the Agent In Engagement community. Explore and join fellow employee engagement operatives in targeting a known thief – alias: Disengagement. Together we can bring this thief to justice and make the world a better place for all companies and their employees.

Other recent Agent in Engagement data/reports by Agent Gregory F Simpson: