While the Skoll World Forum traditionally focuses on social advocacy, education and nonprofit activities, the 2013 conference has spared plenty of time for social enterprise, the rise of technology and how human interaction changes in the presence of the Internet.
The results have led to information such as a Cisco study on human behavior and business collaboration. The Cisco report stated unequivocally that real human interaction was necessary for “productivity, workplace efficiency, and business results.” Virtual connection through Internet tools and cloud collaboration tools can unite distant employees, but for the best employee engagement, face-to-face human interaction, where people can see and hear one another, produces the best results. One Cisco participant in the study states, succinctly, “We need to get back to intimacy.”
Cisco believes strong collaboration through any means is necessary for innovation. Brainstorming activities work best in a real-time group where teams can feel “community oriented,” but innovation is improved through all types of employee interaction. The results can lead to new solutions. In the study, Cisco highlights NetHope, which fosters collaboration between its various organizations during disaster response, leading to pooling resources and delivering more effective aid rather than overlapping.
The business also cited Teach for America, another nonprofit that is building a collaborative network for teachers in underserved areas to communicate across the United States, sharing classroom strategies and development. For Teach for America, distance prevents face-to-face interaction, but the company encourages collaboration as much as possible by using video conferencing. This encourages face-to-face interaction and real-time communication, albeit in a digital environment.
The necessity of digital communication rises when organizations like Teach for America have students spread out across the country, without the chance to gather for a single meeting. Fortunately, the latest developments in technology can help span the gap. Another Skoll World Forum report from Arianna Huffington, president of The Huffington Post, reported the similar benefits of social media in encouraging empathy and collaboration that would not have been possible before social networks existed.
While such technology can serve widespread networks, it may inhibit innovation for employees who are close enough to meet in person but use less effective Internet communication tools instead. Any collaboration is good for business development and new ideas, but studies indicate that the more direct the interaction, the more effective it will be.
Most companies find collaboration a balancing act. Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo, made news in February when she brought an end to telecommuting to help encourage more face time. Meanwhile, CEOs like Richard Branson of the Virgin Group encourage fully integrated social media and digital collaboration as a way of working. An article comparing styles in The Miami Herald recently provided several hybrid strategies, such as allowing work-at-home schedules but saving office time solely for face-to-face collaboration multiple days each week.
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