Read on Twitter
"I love remote work but I miss the serendipitous moments in the office when I caught up with a coworker while getting coffee and had a breakthrough."
Okay, let's talk about this. Starting with:
Those weren't truly serendipitous moments
Okay, let's talk about this. Starting with:
Those weren't truly serendipitous moments
Serendipitous moments are ones that happen by chance.
That coffee break moment happened due to structure. You're working in the same physical office as your coworker and have the same work schedule. This structure is what brought the two of you together.
That coffee break moment happened due to structure. You're working in the same physical office as your coworker and have the same work schedule. This structure is what brought the two of you together.
This is important to recognize because you'll need to create some structure in order to introduce breakthrough moments into remote life.
Some examples on how:
Coffee Breaks - Schedule recurring 15-30 min calls where anyone can jump on and talk about informal topics
Some examples on how:
Coffee Breaks - Schedule recurring 15-30 min calls where anyone can jump on and talk about informal topics
Lightning Talks - Each week a person presents on a topic they're passionate about for 15 min (doesn't have to be work-related), then answer questions for 15 min
Fun work events - Allow employees to create clubs around their interests (video games, books, pets, etc)
Fun work events - Allow employees to create clubs around their interests (video games, books, pets, etc)
What do these things have in common?
1. They're optional. People can attend if and when they want.
2. They're recurring. People know what to expect from them and they are consistent.
3. They're building connection by encouraging getting to know each other on a personal level.
1. They're optional. People can attend if and when they want.
2. They're recurring. People know what to expect from them and they are consistent.
3. They're building connection by encouraging getting to know each other on a personal level.
So, with that step 1 is complete. You've created the structure necessary for these breakthrough moments to happen.
Now for step 2: provide the permission for them to happen.
Now for step 2: provide the permission for them to happen.
When teams go remote, the company's first concern is that their employees will start slacking off. In actuality, people end up overworking because they're always trying to prove this is not happening.
However, informal, open-ended conversations are required for serendipity.
However, informal, open-ended conversations are required for serendipity.
Company leaders need to provide explicit permission for team members to talk about non-work topics and have fun together. It won't happen otherwise.
People need to be humans instead of machines in order for very human moments, like serendipity, to happen.
People need to be humans instead of machines in order for very human moments, like serendipity, to happen.
TLDR:
1. Create structure
2. Provide permission
That's it. You are 2 steps away from bringing "serendipity" to your remote company. Let the magic moments fly
1. Create structure
2. Provide permission
That's it. You are 2 steps away from bringing "serendipity" to your remote company. Let the magic moments fly
Wow! I'm so happy that this thread resonated with so many of you. Thank you all for sharing and leaving positive comments! 
If you like this kind of content, give me a follow.
You might also like this thread on what remote work could look like: https://twitter.com/mar15sa/status/1289946980676849671?s=19
If you like this kind of content, give me a follow.
You might also like this thread on what remote work could look like: https://twitter.com/mar15sa/status/1289946980676849671?s=19
