With the pandemic crisis keeping people physically separate from one another, simple gestures — like sending an email or sharing a helpful resource — can inspire a sense of togetherness, says Stanford psychologist Greg Walton.According to Walton’s research, small social tips can have a big impact. The psychologist found that people who work alone, just hearing that they can collaborate on a certain task, increases their motivation and job satisfaction. In the questions asked to the psychologist, we will verify them.Walton is an associate professor of psychology at the School of Humanities and Sciences. Much of his research looks at the psychological processes that contribute to major social problems and how targeted interventions can help resolve them.
The current pandemic has affected some workplaces, causing some organizations to work remotely. How can people feel that they are still working together even though they are physically distant?
Walton says it is important to remember that “union” is an objective and psychological experience. They may be physically separate, yet still feel a sense of togetherness and teamwork.
This feeling of togetherness is also important in the workplace. In several studies, it was hypothesized that simple tips for working together would increase people’s motivation.
Effectively, people derive motivation from the opportunity to work with other people.
Are there any suggestions to inspire unity among co-workers who find themselves working remotely?
For those lucky enough to have a job that they can continue remotely, there are ways to maintain a sense of togetherness and common purpose. You can be alone, at home and working to complete a project. But if you get an email from a co-worker with some ideas or suggestions for your project, it can sustain the feeling that they’re working together to do the same job.
What common ambiguities are shown about motivation?
One of the biggest misconceptions about motivation is that it refers only to you. It is the idea that motivated by what interests you, your passion, what is good or what I chose for you.
There is truth in that. But it is incomplete. People are strongly motivated by other people. Direct relationships between people are also important to increase motivation. We’ve found that suggestions as small as a shared birthday can create a minimal sense of social connection between people – and this can facilitate social sharing of motivation.
Why is union important?
The human being is a social animal and made to be close to others. That’s why the feeling of loneliness, especially for long periods of time, is one of the most toxic experiences a person and a body can have. It is a greater risk factor for death or developing a disease than smoking.
A huge competitive advantage we have as a species is that we are willing to work with others on common tasks. We seek to learn from each other and quickly share the innovations that a person develops. If someone else finds a better way to build a widget, we can copy it. And we are motivated to collaborate, to share goals and to strive to accomplish joint tasks. No single person can build a multinational business or develop a vaccine. But we can do these things together. Cultural development and change accelerate because we are able and motivated to work as a team.
What’s the best advice for today?
Let’s socialize from a distance! Let’s stay in our thoughts, reach out, communicate and work together on the issues we face so that we can make progress for our families, our communities, our country and our world.
Original article: Inspiring connections while working apart | Stanford News
