How we work There’s something missing from the virtual workplace: chance encounters and informal conversations. They’re important and need to be deliberately replaced. "There are two parts to productivity: efficiency and effectiveness. We’re finding ways to work more efficiently virtually, but sacrificing the effectiveness of live, person-to-person exploration, engagement and energy. There’s an interpersonal connection that happens live and in-person that can never be replicated virtually. And chance encounters don’t happen at all virtually. "By definition, chance encounters happen by chance and are unplanned. Smart workspaces are increasingly designed to encourage and enable those chance encounters. But they’re not happening with people forced to be physically isolated. "Let’s explore two fixes: creating excuses to contact people and scheduling informal conversations." Article: Chance Encounters Have Been Obliterated By COVID-19. Here’s How To Replace Them.