Digital Work Etiquette

Stop wasting meetings! Too many meetings leave people unheard, disengaged, or overwhelmed. The best teams know that inclusion isn’t accidental—it’s designed. 🔹 Here are 6 simple but powerful practices to transform your meetings: 💡 Silent Brainstorm Before discussion begins, have participants write down their ideas privately (on sticky notes, a shared document, or an online board). This prevents groupthink, ensures introverted team members have space to contribute, and brings out more original ideas. 💡 Perspective Swap Assign participants a different stakeholder’s viewpoint (e.g., a customer, a frontline employee, or an opposing team). Challenge them to argue from that perspective, helping teams step outside their biases and build empathy-driven solutions. 💡 Pause and Reflect Instead of jumping into responses, introduce intentional pauses in the discussion. Give people 30-60 seconds of silence before answering a question or making a decision. This allows for deeper thinking, more thoughtful contributions, and space for those who need time to process. 💡 Step Up/Step Back Before starting, set an expectation: those who usually talk a lot should "step back," and quieter voices should "step up." You can track participation or invite people directly, helping create a more balanced conversation. 💡 What’s Missing? At the end of the discussion, ask: "Whose perspective have we not considered?" This simple question challenges blind spots, uncovers overlooked insights, and reinforces the importance of diverse viewpoints in decision-making. 💡 Constructive Dissent Voting Instead of just asking for agreement, give participants colored cards or digital indicators to show their stance: 🟢 Green – I fully agree 🟡 Yellow – I have concerns/questions 🔴 Red – I disagree Focus discussion on yellow and red responses, ensuring that dissenting voices are explored rather than silenced. This builds a culture where challenging ideas is seen as valuable, not risky. Which one would you like to try in your next meeting?  Let me know in the comments! 🔔 Follow me to learn more about building inclusive, high-performing teams. __________________________ 🌟 Hi there! I’m Susanna, an accredited Fearless Organization Scan Practitioner with 10+ years of experience in workplace inclusion. I help companies build inclusive cultures where diverse, high-performing teams thrive with psychological safety. Let’s unlock your team’s full potential together!

TO desk bomb or not to desk bomb? Remember the days when you would simply stroll up to a colleague’s desk to have a work conversation? Yet what was once considered a sensible way to go about your business has fallen out of favour. In some workplaces, this old-fashioned practice is considered such bad form it has attracted its own buzzword: desk bombing. Desk bombing refers to surprise or unscheduled visits made by colleagues to a workmate’s desk without advance notice or a heads-up. Unannounced visits could involve assigning tasks, seeking clarification on a particular activity, engaging in gossip or checking on progress. To not be labelled a “desk bomber”, employees are increasingly using a range of strategies to avoid direct, real-time, face-to-face communication even with colleagues who are in their direct line of sight. Many seek communication consent before approaching a colleague by sending seemingly unobtrusive text messages or emails that pose questions along the lines of “free to chat”, “quick convo”, “got five min for some facetime”. Some avoid real-time human contact at all costs. The negative sentiment surrounding desk bombing has many asking why an apparently harmless, spontaneous visit to someone’s workstation has become so annoying it has created this new buzzword.  Maybe it has something to do with our changed work habits over the past few years. Working remotely has meant we have been able to avoid many of the interruptions from colleagues who sit around us in the office. After several years of being able to control communications with colleagues, difficulties with random episodes of face-to-face interaction make sense. We should not really be surprised that people have become less “open” to being interrupted and  want to rejig the rules to manage their time more effectively. At the same time, reducing office communications to a series of texts, voice messages or emails denies us the opportunities to act spontaneously, build relationships and engage in deep and meaningful conversations. An office without at least some desk bombing breeds professional isolation and even loneliness. Rather than looking at desk bombing as a negative, we should encourage it in every workplace – though not to the point that an individual thinks it is appropriate to persistently interrupt the train of thought of one or more of their colleagues. Every office worker must weigh up the pros and cons of interrupting a colleague based on their understanding of others’ individual work preferences and the pressures they are under at any given time. In other words, we need to strike a balance between respecting our colleagues’ time and needs with fostering a sense of workplace collaboration. Of course, we will never understand our colleagues’ work preferences and pressure points unless we occasionally desk-bomb them to talk with them. #workplace #work #management #hr #leadership #aimwa

While I usually rave about being remote-first, the one thing we still struggle with are departmental meetings. When you have more than 50 people on a call, it often turns into a very one sided PowerPoint exercise and rather than being a value-add, it becomes a value-drain. This week I casually dropped into our People Team meeting, because I was surprised to see they blocked not just 1 hour, but 1,5 hours with 50+ people online. Of course, I should not have worried. 😃 It was incredible to see how teams at Mews have learned in the last 3 years to move away from soul-sucking-PowerPoint, to leveraging digital tools to keep a highly engaged audience, adding real value. What did they do in this specific meeting? 1️⃣ The meeting is run by the department Chief of Staff, and she spends several hours preparing for the meeting. Better to have 1 person spend several hours, than 50 people waste 1,5 hour each. 2️⃣ The call kicked off with a poll, asking people how they are feeling, getting a sense of the temperature in the room and how people are showing up. 3️⃣ New team members have to then intro themselves through 2 truths and 1 lie, and then we use a poll to get everyone to vote. A really small thing, but by using polls you ensure people stay fully engaged. 4️⃣ To engage the team on key KPI’s and achievements, we leveraged the chat. Here a number was shown and everyone had to guess/comment what business metric it represented. Another way to get everyone thinking about the metrics that matter most. 5️⃣ Then the group broke out into virtual breakout rooms, each group getting a different assignment, discussing things we got wrong or right in the past month. The small groups ensure we hear everyone’s input and voice. 6️⃣ Throughout all, the chat was where the real fun happened. The team was highly engaged and celebrating each other’s success. we really used digital tools to the max for all elements. 7️⃣ The Chief People Officer trusted her team to run the meeting, because she expects her team leaders to have their own voice and vision. She reserved 5 minutes at the end where she shared her insights and some inspiration. True leaders, really do eat last. Getting remote-first right is really hard work, but we are seriously committed to learning and constantly changing when things don’t work for us. Thank you Naomi Trickey for allowing me to creep into your team meeting this week. 😂 🥰

Mastering virtual communication Being a strong communicator in a virtual world isn’t just an advantage; it’s a necessity. To help communicate with clarity, influence, and impact in an online world, PING offers a research-backed, practical framework: Perspective Taking Initiative Nonverbal Cues Goals 🚩 Digital communication strips away vocal tone and body language, often leading to unintended misinterpretations. When communicating digitally, be intentional about tone, clarity, and structure. Adding context, using emojis strategically and being explicit with intentions can bridge the gap. 🚩 Over-communicating doesn’t solve problem - intentional, well-structured communication does. Set clear agendas for meetings, use project management tools, and avoid unnecessary back-and-forth messages. 🚩 Delivering difficult news online requires a different approach - one that accounts for emotional impact, timing, and personalisation. If the conversation is high-stakes (layoffs, performance reviews, conflict resolution), don’t rely solely on email or a rushed video call. Use personalised communication, offer space for dialogue, and acknowledge emotions. 🚩 Strategic emoji use actually enhances engagement and prevents misinterpretation. Use emojis sparingly and strategically. A smiley in a casual message? Great. Overloading a business proposal with them? Maybe not. 🚩 Before scheduling a meeting, ask: Can this be handled asynchronously? If yes, save everyone time and send a well-structured message instead. High-emotion topics (conflicts, big decisions) → Video call Routine updates, data sharing → Email or message. 🚩 Employees don’t disengage because of workload alone; they disengage because they feel unheard in digital workspaces. Prioritise personalised check-ins and transparent communication. Set boundaries around digital overload. Andrew Brodsky | Professor at McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin 📚 Ping: The Secrets of Successful Virtual Communication #BetterEveryDay #Leadership

"Don’t wear headphones while walking around the office." When I read that line in Maclean’s magazine “The New Rules of Workplace Etiquette,” produced by Katie Underwood, I chuckled. The piece is basically a field guide for Office 2026, and it’s full of tiny norms that have quietly become big signals, across in-person, hybrid, and remote. Underwood asked 20-plus experts for their "tips on how to be the most respectful, responsible and fun IRL and WFH colleague you can be." "Why not wear headphones in the hallways?" I thought. But the rationale makes sense. If hallways are going to exist again as shared space, they can’t be silent commuter tunnels. We can use these moments to make eye contact. Make a five-second check-in that leads to a quick chat about the movie we watched last night. Maybe it replaces another 30-minute meeting? Wouldn't that be awesome? Culture is built in passing - I've always said that you can feel good culture - like an effortless state of belonging. A few that made me laugh, then nod: In-person • Headphones is fine as a sign you're heads down but stick your head up and join your coworkers sometimes. • Keep fragrance to a minimum. We share air. • Don’t be the “phantom of the office,” physically present, mentally gone. If you’re there, be there. Remote • If you’re eating on a video call, camera off, and say why. It’s not a date. • Pet cameos are fine. Stop apologizing for being human. • If your internet drops constantly, some leaders quietly interpret that as a professionalism issue. Fair or not, perception counts. Hybrid • Don’t “coffee-badge,” showing up just long enough to be seen. People notice. • You don’t need to announce every coffee break, but if people rely on you, say when you’re stepping out. It prevents friction. Modern classics • If you use AI to draft something, make sure it sounds like you. • If you’re recording or using transcription in a meeting, people should know. Totally disagree: • Don’t DM “hi” or “quick question.” Just ask the question. I may be the only one here who thinks this - but why do we have to be so transactional? It's ok to say - hey, how's it going? We are swapping speed for building multiplex relationships which is good for morale. But let me know what you think? I feel like this may be the opposite thinking for some of you. So I’m curious. These are just a few of my hot takes so go now and read the full article then come back and tell me what stood out to you? Anything you found funny? Weird? Made you shout, "YES!". What about where you work? What’s the oddly specific new norm that would have sounded ridiculous in 2019? #FutureOfWork #HybridWork #RemoteWork #WorkplaceCulture #Leadership #WorkplaceEtiette #OrganizationalCulture #WorkNorms #ModernWork #OfficeLife #TeamDynamics #EmployeeExperience #WorkplaceTrends https://lnkd.in/g5tDgHvw

Malini’s Masterclass Tip 💡: Mind Your Acronyms Acronyms are everywhere in our digital world, from texts and tweets to emails and captions. While they can save time, they also risk being misunderstood. I once thought “LOL” meant “Lots of Love,” and you can imagine the awkwardness when I used it in a serious conversation! 😅 In @undertheinfluence, I emphasize clear communication, especially in the fast-paced digital world where misunderstandings happen quickly. Here are a few tips: Know Your Audience: Consider who you’re communicating with. Not everyone is familiar with the same digital lingo, especially across different age groups or cultures. For instance, “BRB” might confuse those who aren’t up to date with current slang. Context Matters: Make sure the acronym fits the context. While “FOMO” (Fear of Missing Out) might be perfect in a casual chat, it might not be suitable in a professional setting. When in Doubt, Spell It Out: If you’re unsure whether your audience will understand the acronym, spell it out. This avoids confusion and ensures your message is clear. Stay Updated: Language evolves, and so do acronyms. What meant one thing years ago could mean something different today. Keeping up with digital lingo helps you avoid miscommunication. Being mindful of how and when we use acronyms ensures our digital communication remains clear and effective. A little clarity goes a long way online! #MasterclassTip #DigitalEtiquette #UnderTheInfluence

You better be prepared in advance!!! Mastering virtual meetings has become essential in our evolving remote and hybrid work environments. I've transitioned from feeling wooden and awkward to leading over 1,000 productive virtual meetings. I have learned some key important steps that can help everyone Here are some key strategies that have transformed my approach 𝘽𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ▶︎ Define a Clear Agenda: ➟ Outline the meeting’s purpose and outcomes. ➟ Share the agenda and pre-work in advance. ➟ Highlight key points and time allocations. ➟ Include necessary background materials. ▶︎ Check Your Technology: ➟ Log in early to test your mic and camera. ➟ Ensure a stable internet connection and have a backup device. ➟ Familiarize yourself with platform features. ➟ Have a troubleshooting plan. ▶︎ Prepare Yourself: ➟ Choose a quiet, well-lit space with a professional background. ➟ Keep necessary documents or presentations handy. ➟ Prepare an icebreaker or welcome message. 𝘿𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ▶︎ Show Your Human Side: ➟ Start with introductions or a check-in. ➟ Keep your camera on to build rapport. ➟ Share a personal anecdote or engaging question. ➟ Be mindful of cultural differences and time zones. ▶︎ Establish a Protocol: ➟ Set speaking ground rules (e.g., raise-hand icon, chat function). ➟ Encourage participation for a collaborative environment. ➟ Assign roles if necessary (e.g., note-taker, timekeeper). ➟ Use interactive tools like polls or whiteboards. ▶︎ Structure Your Thoughts: ➟ Use mental pauses and structured talking points. ➟ Apply the “tweet followed by a Facebook post” method. ➟ Summarize key points periodically. ➟ Encourage questions and feedback. 𝘼𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ▶︎ Share Next Steps: ➟ Send a summary of key points and action items promptly. ➟ Include deadlines and responsible parties. ➟ Provide additional resources or follow-up materials. ➟ Schedule follow-up meetings if necessary. ▶︎ Practice Self-Reflection: ➟ Reflect on what went well and what didn’t. ➟ Seek feedback from participants. ➟ Review the meeting recording if available. ➟ Set personal goals for improving virtual meeting leadership. 𝘽𝙤𝙣𝙪𝙨 𝙩𝙞𝙥𝙨: ➟ Encourage chat use for questions and comments. ➟ Speak at around 180 words per minute for clarity. ➟ Use visuals and slides sparingly. ➟ Take regular breaks during long meetings. You can transform your virtual meetings into productive and engaging sessions that drive your team's success. Remember, taking effective meetings is a skill that takes time and practice to master. Keep refining your approach, and you'll see meaningful improvements in your team's collaboration and productivity. Let's connect and share more insights on mastering the art of virtual meetings! #VirtualMeetings #drminalchaudhry #drmeinalchaudhry #aakashhealthcare    LinkedIn News India —--------- For more valuable content, follow me, Dr. Minal Chaudhry (Meinal).

The most expensive mistake in remote collaboration isn't tech failure – it's silenced talent. Last year, I led a digital transformation team that was brilliant on paper but struggling in practice. Why? In private, team members told me: 💬 "Decisions are made before I can speak." 💬 "The same voices dominate every meeting." 💬 "I prepare points, but there's no time to share." Sound familiar? These aren't just frustrations – they're warning signs. So, here are 3 practices I used to build inclusive teams: 1️⃣ Rotation facilitation = share the mic, build equity → Share pre-meeting readings 24 hours before → Empower each team member with a section to lead → Structured speaking sequences for balanced voices 2️⃣ Multi-format participation = more ways to speak → Value written contributions equally to verbal ones → Embrace different tools for diverse thinking styles → Create feedback channels for sensitive perspectives 3️⃣ Cultural Intelligence = value differences, not hide them → Recognise silence as valuable processing time → Design meeting formats that honour cultural contexts → Adapt ways of working to respect diverse work rhythms So, if you want to truly build inclusive teams: ➟ Design for the least heard, not the loudest ➟ Build systems that distribute voice, not just time ➟ Create psychological safety through consistency And remember: Every meeting, whether remote or not, must be designed for inclusion, not just efficiency. Where everyone feels intellectually and emotionally safe to contribute. ✨ P.S. When have you felt most empowered to express yourself authentically at work? - 👋🏾 Hi, I’m Rita – a remote-first transformation director. 👩🏽💻 I also help digital & tech professionals go remote.

Your remote work boundaries are under attack daily. Most people never spot the warning signs. Blurred lines. Constant pings. Feeling like you're always on? These aren't small annoyances - They're quiet energy leaks disguised as "normal." 👉🏼 15 subtle signs your remote work boundaries are being crossed (and exactly what to say to fix it fast) 1. Meeting invites appear with less than 24 hours notice ↳ "For last-minute meetings, please include the agenda and expected outcome so I can prioritize properly" 2. You receive work messages during your off-hours ↳ "I'm currently offline. I'll address this tomorrow during my working hours of [time]" 3. 30-minute meetings regularly run over ↳ "We have 5 minutes remaining. Should we schedule a follow-up or prioritize what's most urgent?" 4. You feel compelled to explain personal appointments ↳ "I'll be unavailable from 2-3pm" rather than justifying with personal details 5. Colleagues comment when your status is set to "away" ↳ "I step away from my computer regularly throughout the day for focus and wellbeing" 6. Weekend emails come with Monday am deadlines ↳ "For weekend requests, I'll need until [realistic time] to properly address this" 7. Your camera is expected to be on for every meeting ↳ "I'll be audio-only for this session" without detailed explanation 8. "Quick questions" constantly interrupt your deep work ↳ "I'm in focused work until 11am. I can help you after that, or is there someone else who can assist?" 9. You're added to projects without discussion of capacity ↳ "Before I commit, I need to review my current workload. Can we discuss priorities?" 10. Your lunch breaks are becoming meeting slots ↳ "I block this time for a proper break to maintain energy and focus for afternoon work" 11. Deadlines get moved up without your input ↳ "The new timeline will impact quality. Here are our options given the change..." 12. Your vacation responder is on (but you still check) ↳ "I'm fully offline during this scheduled leave. For immediate assistance, please contact [colleague]" 13. People expect immediate responses to non-urgent messages ↳ "I check messages at scheduled times throughout the day. For urgent matters, please call" 14. Back-to-back meetings leave no transition time ↳ "I schedule meetings to end 5 min early to allow for transitions and preparation" 15. "Are you there?" msgs when you don't respond immediately ↳ I'm focusing on deliverables throughout the day. I'll respond during my next message check at [time]" Remote work without clear boundaries isn't flexibility. It's an invisible prison of constant availability ✨ Which boundary will you strengthen this week? Share below! -- ♻️ Repost to help your network reclaim control of their remote work boundaries 🔔 Follow Dr. Carolyn Frost for more strategies to succeed without sacrificing wellbeing

Hybrid work has many benefits. But it also creates one of the toughest leadership challenges: COMMUNICATION. Picture this: some people are seated in-person around a table, while others join on a big screen. It’s the perfect illustration of how your communication medium shapes your message — and tests your communication skills! Here’s what gets lost as the medium shifts: 👯♂️ In person: Complete — words, tone, full body language 📺 Video: Tone + facial expressions, but only shoulders up 📞 Phone: Tone, but no facial expressions and no body language ✍️ Writing: Words only, no tone or body language The rule: The less of you they can see and hear, the more intentional you must be. (That's why when I'm coaching a workshop that's truly hybrid, I prioritize the folks who are remote.) ➡️ If you’re the communicator: • Double-check tone. Add clarity cues (“Just kidding” / “I’m serious here”). • Confirm understanding (“Sometimes things get lost virtually. Is this clear?”) ➡️ If you’re the receiver: • Don’t assume intent. Ask for clarification before reacting. Executives who master this nuance establish clarity and build trust faster, even across screens. What’s your biggest communication challenge in a hybrid or virtual environment?