Introverts adore their own company, think comfy PJ’s in
front of a roaring fire, it recharges us. Despite the myth portraying the stereotypical
hermit, we do in fact need and sometimes even crave social interaction too. Remote
working is an ideal work scenario for the introverted, offering the quieter
alternative to a busy overstimulating office environment but at times this
option can be lonesome and come with its’ own set of challenges. Statistics
demonstrating low employee engagement and lack of inclusion augment the need to
support ourselves and our colleagues in harnessing the power of personality
type to be the best we can be at work.
Social Beings
Human beings are born to be social, we are here for
connection. Scientist Matthew Liebermann says this need is as fundamental as
food and water. Work is more than just a function to earn a living, it is a way
for us to collaborate and express ourselves among others. Introverts are no
different in this goal and remote workers share the same need albeit the
connection may not be physical.
Liebermann further states that feeling pain in social
situations is equal to feeling physical pain, the phrases we use such as ‘he
hurt my feelings’ are not far from the truth. 70% of introverts are termed
highly sensitive people, often overly aware of elements in the environment,
picking up on non-verbals, others feelings and gaining meaning where others may
not. In a remote working situation much of this can be lost leading to lower
engagement, less understanding, frustrations, and break downs in social
connections. Many remote working companies insist on annual or often more
regular face to face meetings and these can be very valuable.
As a leader, manager or colleague of remote workers you
might be interested to consider some of our what are kindly termed ‘superpowers
of introverts’ but might just drive an extrovert crazy without understanding.
Introverts can often be self-judgemental and with no one
there to recognise the hard work done to complete the task be sure to provide
positive and supportive feedback for a job well done. In their book
‘Conversations Worth Having’ the authors say that people ‘long for meaningful
engagement that builds connection, fuels productivity, and generates positive
change’. Pay attention to the conversations you are having with your employees.
As we discussed above, we are social beings. If a worker is 100%
remote provide opportunities for engagement in other ways such as attending
networking events, training sessions or perhaps volunteer as part of a company-wide
effort to support local communities to provide that physical connection with
others. It is shared experiences that connect us.
Our introversion influences how we work. We may
procrastinate over decisions although not always a bad thing according to
Stephen M. Fleming, Principal Research Associate at University College London
who says, slower decision making is more effective when facing novel
situations. So allow us time to process before coming to any conclusions.
We are unlikely to self-promote so provide opportunities to
share achievements although privately would be our preference. A dislike of
conflict and confrontation may mean grievances go unsaid, ensure you ask the
right questions to assess a situation.
Offering flexible and remote work options is essential for
the workforce of the future but ensuring their engagement is equally important
to build an effective and sustainable team. By recognising differences in
temperament you can successfully put communication strategies in place to support
your team.
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