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1 year ago in Research Culture By Reema
How does remote or hybrid work affect research culture and collaboration?
Since the pandemic, our lab has been hybrid. Some love the flexibility; others miss the spontaneous hallway conversations. Are we losing something essential about collaborative creativity? How can we maintain a strong, connected culture when not everyone is physically present?
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By Trisha Answered 1 month ago
Hybrid work does risk eroding the "glue" of casual interaction that sparks collaboration and mentorship. The key is intentionality, not presence. To maintain culture: 1) Establish "Anchor Days": Designate 2-3 days per week when everyone is expected on-site for lab meetings and collaborative work. 2) Recreate Serendipity Digitally: Use a dedicated "water-cooler" Slack channel for random thoughts and links. 3) Optimize Meetings: For hybrid lab meetings, use a large screen for remote participants and a good microphone so everyone is equally included. 4) Asynchronous Collaboration: Use shared documents (Overleaf, Google Docs) and whiteboards (Miro) for continuous collaboration. 5) Virtual Socializing: Schedule optional virtual coffee breaks or trivia. The goal is to create multiple, low-barrier ways to connect, recognizing that deep relationships and trust are the bedrock of effective collaboration, whether built online or off.
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