The introduction of the coronavirus brought about numerous changes to our daily lives, the increased presence of technology in particular. Human interaction, ranging from socialization to the workplace, was constrained to screens, and meetings once conducted to generate ideas and promote collaboration was bound to a digital workspace. The barrier technology enforces hinders the utilization of social cues, such as eye contact and body language. It has thus been observed that the transition from in-person to online work has potentially curbed idea generation.
A study conducted by Melanie S. Brucks and Jonathan Levav proposed that the shift from in-person interaction affects innovation and collaborative idea generation, thereby inhibiting scientific and commercial progress. They tested this hypothesis by recruiting 602 people to partake in generating creative uses for a product. Subjects were randomly paired together and were instructed to choose the most creative idea after their five-minute time frame was concluded. Pairs conducted this task either in person or virtually and were assessed on the overall quantity of ideas generated and the quality of the idea selected. Overall, virtual pairs generated significantly fewer total and creative ideas than those in-person. There was also a positive association between an increased number of creative ideas and how much a person gazed around the room. It was found that while online, idea generation was constrained when one’s attention was honed to a specific subject versus the freedom in-person meetings provided where gazes were more natural and free-falling. If this freedom inspires new ideas or creativity, researchers are unsure. Different variables were also tested, such as the size of the computer screen and the familiarity between partners, but they made no contribution towards increased virtual creative idea generation.
COVID-19 brought about a decrease in in-person meetings within the workplace.
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In 2021, a survey reported that 75% of employees demonstrated a preference for working at home at least one day a week, and 40% stated that they would quit a job that required in-person attendance full-time. So while there does seem to be a cognitive disadvantage with online collaboration, there are additional costs packaged with in-person gatherings. For instance, employees face expenses for traveling, difficulties in managing different time zones, and decreased punctuality and attendance. There are solutions that can be used to mitigate these costs, such as allowing hybrid schedules in which a work week consists of a combination of in-office and out-of-office days. This alternative enables employees to simultaneously benefit from a reduced commute while capitalizing on increased creative idea generation when in person.
Despite the correlation between narrowed cognition and virtual meetings, there are methods to appease both employees and employers to maintain a healthy work-life balance and prove that ample creative ideas can still be produced.
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