Baird's CMC | A Unique Global Communications Management Consultancy

Media Trends Report 2021

Tel: +44 (0) 1495 828300
Email: team@bairdscmc.com
  • E-mail
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
Menu
  • Home
    • Sexual and Reproductive Health
    • Stakeholder Mapping & Strategy
    • Training & Skills
    • Qualitative & Policy
    • Communications and Management Consultancy
    • Close
  • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Our specialist areas
    • Case studies
      • EDCTP sub-Saharan Africa policy research
      • Emerging Democracies and Green Issues
      • Gauging Attitudes Toward an HIV Vaccine
      • Increasing Immunization Coverage in Central India
      • Close
    • Close
  • Network
    • Network map
    • Associates
      • Michael Acott
      • Ashoek Adhikari
      • Francois Baird
      • Gerhard Butschi
      • Steve Bowers
      • Mark Chataway
      • Lenore Cooney
      • Paul Dillon
      • Marta Dourado
      • Martina Dörmann
      • Dirk Van Eeden
      • Alexandra Fullem
      • Frederick Fussi
      • Ingrid Gavshon MBA
      • Denise Gee
      • Denise Gray-Felder
      • Bert Griesel
      • Aman Gupta
      • Darren Jones
      • Danie Kok
      • Andrzej Kropiwnicki
      • Angelle Kwemo
      • Nikolay Kudryashov
      • Mari Lee
      • Simba Makoni
      • Steve Mallach
      • Terry Mandel
      • Matshidiso Masire
      • Valeria McFarren
      • Hugh McKinney
      • Chris Opperman
      • Ken Rabin
      • Mark Rittenberg
      • Simon Russell
      • Jacob Sesinyi
      • Melinda Shaw
      • Cormac Smith
      • James Snodgrass
      • Hema Viswanathan
      • Mina Volovitch
      • Gillian Waddell
      • Joseph Makwata Wambia
      • Chris Ward
      • Gysbert J Wessels
      • Marion Zibelli
      • Close
    • Senior consultants
      • Simon Hardie
      • Close
    • Close
  • Services
    • New Services
      • Media Training
      • Presentation Skills
      • Staff Engagement
      • Reputation Management
      • Close
    • Services
      • Communications counsel
      • New media strategy
      • Advocacy and coalition building
      • Crisis management
      • Market research
      • Strategic planning
      • Staff training and development
      • Risk management and mitigation
      • Close
    • Close
  • Sectors
    • Vaccine Hesitancy
    • Pharma in top 15 markets
    • Pharma in emerging markets
    • Pharma in underdeveloped markets
    • Pharma headquarters planning teams on market assessment
    • Global Development: Health Issues
    • Global Development: Environmental Issues
    • Health equity and access to care
    • Reproductive health and population
    • Vaccines
    • International Donors
    • Government Relations
    • Political Consulting
    • Telecom Sector
    • Financial Services
    • Close
  • News
  • ShopTalk
  • Get in Touch

Standing Around the Water Cooler… in a Virtual World

By Chris Nial

In a world where there are so many ways to connect, how do people really connect – human being to human being? I found myself thinking about this on my way to work this morning. I’ve had a chance to visit many different work cultures in many different countries, and what I find is that no matter where in the world I am, in every work place there is always a “water cooler” – that is, a place or space that people stand around to swap their news and views. On a side note, I always find it amusing that the phrase “standing around the water cooler” has made its way into common global parlance, even though it originated as a uniquely American workplace tradition!

Either way, I thought it might be interesting to find the equivalents of the “water cooler” around the world. For instance, in India “chai time” is when people stop work, sip tea, and take a moment to connect with their colleagues. The amazing thing about “chai time” is that you’ll find this in any Indian office – big or small, modern or traditional. In the swanky multinationals, an office boy will make the rounds with tiny plastic cups of hot tea. In other Indian work places, people will take a break and go outside to a nearby “dhabba” or street-side stall where tea is mixed with spices, boiled in a steel pot, and served in small glasses (along with samosas, omelette sandwiches, or an instant noodle called “Maggi”). As anybody familiar with doing business in India will tell you, nothing is ever signed or agreed upon until both parties have sipped tea together!

In Japan, the water cooler takes a slightly different shape – communal Jacuzzis and spas are where colleagues go to connect after a hard day’s work, or even as a mid-day break. And in London, we head to the local pub and gossip with our co-workers over a pint of beer.

Of course, in the 21st century workspace, where remote teams are so common, we often don’t have the luxury of being able to chat face to face. No need to despair—there are many virtual equivalents of the water cooler (though not all are as informal). Collaborative workspaces such as Google Docs, Microsoft Office Live, Podio, and Zoho allow for timeless and spaceless connections with our multi-continental colleagues. And of course, lest we forget, there is always Facebook!

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: News, ShopTalk Tagged With: Baird's CMC, chris nial, communications consultancy, communications management, project management, remote teams, social media, virtual teams

Contact Us

    Your Name (required)

    Your Email (required)

    Subject

    Your Message

    Please enter the letters below and press Send
    captcha

    Latest Blog Posts

    An astonishing decline in child immunisation numbers in Africa amid the rage of COVID-19, yet another victim of the pandemic

    Global Elite are Bored with Health, Just When It’s Getting Really Exciting

    Using Fewer Antibiotics Isn’t Always the Best Way to Curb Resistance

    Copyright © 2022 All rights reserved. Sitemap