Wed, May 20, 2009 - 10:23:00

Think Your Office’s “Chatty Cathy” is a Time Waster?

Several weeks ago, we guest posted on the Cornerstone Buzz blog about the importance of small talk and if you’re a regular reader of the Small Blog, you already know the amazing ways in which small talk works—it can even save your life.  But, a recent study shows that small talk can affect your life in other important ways and can actually boost your productivity at work.  It might seem counterintuitive at first, but those seemingly insignificant moments you spend casually chatting with your coworkers during your downtime can dramatically improve your performance when the work picks up.

According to last Wednesday’s article in The Technology Review, published by MIT, participants in two studies conducted by the same research team provided a fascinating insight: employees who work in a close knit group that regularly communicated face to face were 30 percent more productive than their phone/e-mail/text reliant counterparts.  As lead researcher Sandy Pentland explains, “The big idea is that what you do on your coffee break and over lunch really matters for productivity. Face-to-face networks matter and the implications are huge.”

For those of us who skip our coffee breaks and lunches out in the name of productivity, it’s a real eye-opener.  In fact, the anti-social behaviors we adopt in order to increase our job performance, might actually be hurting us in the long run, not just personally but professionally as well.  When we communicate face to face instead of online or over the phone, we engage in the most personal and highly nuanced manner imaginable.  In addition to the words we share through speech, we also clue people into our thoughts through our body language and gestures. Plus, no matter how quickly you can type on Twitter, Skype, and AIM, nothing is faster than the rapid response of the person standing right in front of you and nothing is more conducive to sharing ideas and spurring creativity.

So, next time you sit down to another solitary lunch at your desk, think twice before you bite into that sandwich, and head to the break room to eat with your coworkers.  If you’re naturally shy, this may be difficult at first, but take that small step.  Along with your turkey on whole wheat, you just might discover some promising new ideas and make some great new friends.

Lately, small talk has been a hot topic on Twitter, with fellow blogger Tim Andren weighing in with several thought provoking posts and tweets.  We’d love to get your perspective on the issue, so leave us a comment, send us an email to thepowerofsmallblog@gmail.com or tweet with us.  We can’t wait to hear your thoughts. 

Posted by Linda and Robin