Microsoft study shows how remote work may be negatively affecting collaboration
Remote work is not without pitfalls, according to Microsoft’s research.
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What you need to know
Microsoft has fresh remote work research on the loose by way of itsnew study, entitled “The effects of remote work on collaboration among information workers.” This study highlights the potential drawbacks of remote work.
The data used to formulate the study’s conclusions is extensive. “Here, we use rich data on the emails, calendars, instant messages, video/audio calls and workweek hours of 61,182 US Microsoft employees over the first six months of 2020 to estimate the causal effects of firm-wide remote work on collaboration and communication,” theabstract says, showcasing how much information has gone into the results.
As for said results, they paint a negative picture of the effects of remote work with regards to communication and collaboration. Cross-group collaboration decreased by nearly 25% (compared to on-site work), with teams becoming more sequestered and siloed. Furthermore, Microsoft cited a decrease in dynamic organizational structure, with new collaborators being rarer additions and existing collaborators not being shed at pre-pandemic rates.
While connections within existing teams grew stronger as a result of remote work becoming a major part of Microsoft’s operations, the study’s overall findings indicate that innovation and productivity may be stifled by the shift. However, the study is also fully aware that hard data regarding remote work’s impact could take years to materialize and that companiesmay yet find meansto ensure remote work results fit pre-pandemic expectations.
This study is what some may describe as a far cry from Microsoft’s other recent data share on remote work, which waslambasted as a self-congratulatory reiterationof common knowledge.
If you’re interested in learning about other Microsoft studies, read up on the time the company used research toconfirm that workers need breaks.
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Robert Carnevale is the News Editor for Windows Central. He’s a big fan of Kinect (it lives on in his heart), Sonic the Hedgehog, and the legendary intersection of those two titans, Sonic Free Riders. He is the author ofCold War 2395. Have a useful tip? Send it to robert.carnevale@futurenet.com.
