主題: HBR職場系列 – 辦公室閒話家常Small talk at the office
Reference article: https://hbr.org/2021/07/have-we-forgotten-how-to-small-talk
How to “Small Talk”
The virtual meetings we have grown accustomed to get right down to business. There have been few, if any, interstitial spaces on our work agendas to catch up. Our increased reliance on emails and private messages to communicate have only exacerbated the problem.
Cooking and baking: Many of us have discovered our inner chef this last year, whether that meant exquisite dinners that took two-plus hours to prepare, sumptuous and decadent desserts, or endless loaves of sourdough bread.
Try asking:
- What are your new favorite meals?
- What’s a simple recipe you discovered during the pandemic?
- Did you also get into making bread?
Interests and hobbies: Without a daily commute, some used the extra time to return to or start a hobby like gardening, puzzles, or painting. Others used the time to read lots of books or binge TV shows.
Try asking:
- Did you find a creative way to spend the time you used to commute?
- What hobbies did you get back to?
- Did you discover any new shows you’d recommend?
Travel Plans: While the past year has felt like one giant Monday, summer is still coming in the Northern hemisphere and people have gotten creative about how they get outside and have (socially distanced) fun.
Try asking:
- Is there anything you’re especially looking forward to this summer?
- Now that we can finally take vacations, are you planning anything fun?
- What’s the first place you want to travel to this year after being cooped up inside?
Kids: Not just the grown-ups, but kids, too, have had to adapt to many new things this past year. Maybe your coworkers’ kids (or yours) in some parts of the world have transitioned back to in-person school.
Try asking:
- How are things going for your kid(s)?
- How did your kids do with online school?
- How did you manage with all of the above?
Pandemic Lessons: Our lives were disrupted, and new routines have been in place for more than a year. It wasn’t all bad and some shifts opened up previously unthinkable possibilities — ask about these. Or, on the chance that you do feel comfortable going deeper with your coworkers, invite them to share how they are doing with this shift back into the “before times” routines.
Try asking:
- With all the changes in your life last year, which ones do you think will stick even as the world re-opens?
- How are you adjusting to coming back into work — are you liking it?
- How are you? (… and then really listen)
分享時間：Share 5 small talk topics you often talk about