Good communication in post-pandemic work

I gave a talk in association with Re:coded, a non-profit organisation which teaches tech skills.

The theme was communication. I started by reflecting on how much working culture has changed in the past 2 years. We can’t get away from it - remote working is different and brings both challenges and opportunities.
One of the challenges I’ve felt personally is the sense of isolation. It’s not surprising given what we’ve all been through in the pandemic: lockdowns, stay at home orders, social distancing and not being able to travel. And even as we move into better times, working remotely can lead to us questioning ourselves more - are we doing a good job? are we connected to others? are we focused?

Good communication is one of the key techniques that helps us succeed. In this talk I give tips on how to use it. I believe we have to over-communicate when working remotely, checking in more frequently and proactively asking for support when we need it. It’s also really important to pay attention to our own mental health, assuming positive intent from our colleagues and having empathy for others. We’re all learning!