We often think of small talk at work as superficial and inconsequential, but a new study challenges this view. In fact, a new study found that the trivial, non-work related conversations we have with colleagues are more beneficial than we give them credit for.
Promoting well-being: To measure the impact of small talk on employee well-being, the researchers surveyed 151 full-time employees working at traditional 9 to 5 jobs outside the home. After controlling for participants’ baseline engagement for small talk, the researchers queried about levels of small talk throughout the day and asked respondents to rate their emotions, work productivity, and overall engagement. Participants completed three surveys a day—morning, early afternoon, and evening—for 15 consecutive workdays.
What they found was that “small talk enhanced employees’ daily positive social emotions and contributed to employees feeling connected.” The researchers were quick to add that small talk is not gossip or long-winded ranting about an ineffective supervisor. Rather, it is surface level, such as conversations about the weather.
While the researchers learned that small talk lifts employees’ emotions, they also found that chit-chat disrupted some employees’ ability to stay on task with their work. However, employees who possessed a higher level of self-monitoring could effectively disengage from small talk to mitigate the distraction.
Building bridges: Rather than “shush” small talk as a waste of time, managers can embrace small talk as a way to improve coworkers’ relationships, team morale, and productivity. Supervisors who create space for the small talk will benefit from increased collaboration, creativity, and more inclusiveness, the authors wrote. This applies to in-person meetings as well as virtual meetings.
“It’s about building a positive culture,” said Jessica R. Methot of Rutgers University and the University of Exeter. “We know how awkward it is when we walk into a room and someone ignores us. People need to be greeted and acknowledged. It is no different on a Zoom call in our current remote-working culture. It’s a social lubricant.”
To facilitate small talk, managers should allow time before a meeting begins for employees to get comfortable and “shoot the breeze.” Give them time to greet each other and have relaxed interactions. “Don’t dive right in. Grease the wheels,” Methot said.
