As the digital workforce continues to grow
■ 83% of employees work remotely at least part of the day.■ 70% of young professionals believe "It is unnecessary to go to the office."■ 45% U.S. workforce has a job suitable for full-time or part-time telecommuting.■ 39% socialize more online than in person■ 20% prefer digital communication over any other.■ 10% of US conversations take place through the Internet
Business collaboration tools get more complex and reach more people■ phone->conference call->email->IM->Video calling->shared screens->enterprise social mediaHowever, nothing is more effective than in-person interaction■ Face-to-face conversations tend to be more positive, and perceived as more credible, in comparison with online.● Nonverbal – it's not what you say but how you say it○ Only 7% is communicated through actual words, 38% through the way the words are spoken and 55% through our facial expressions○ Business tells, perception of sincerity is affected by nonverbal cues○ If communication is mostly nonverbal, is video the solution?■ Meetings:● 58% report traveling less for work● 59% report using technology more for remote business meetings● 84% report preferring meeting in-person.○ 85% – Build stronger, more meaningful business relationships○ 77% – Ability to read body language and facial expressions○ 75% – More social interaction, ability to bond with co-workers/clients○ 49% – Allow for more complex strategic thinking○ 44% – Better environment for tough, timely decision-making○ Increased Idea Quantity
Networking Success
■ People who got most results from their networking efforts participate more in "face-to-face" casual contact networks■ 72% of those surveyed said they were influenced by looks and handshake■ A Business card is a physical connection to make both a first and lasting impression● Most important situations for physically attending○ 93% negotiating with people from different languages/cultural backgrounds.○ (82%) negotiating important contracts○ (81%)interviewing senior staff for key positions○ (69%)understanding important customers○ Attending shows mutual acknowledgment, respect, and action.
Is it worth a plane ticket? Face to Face ROI○ 95%: Survey respondents who say face-to-face meetings are essential for long-term business relationships■ $12.50: Value companies gain for every U.S. dollar they invest in business travel■ 40%: Prospects converted to new customers through face-to-face meetings■ 28%: Current business that would be lost without face-to-face meetings■ 17%: Profit the average company would lose if it eliminated all business travel■ 3: Years it would take for profits to recover● Finding a New Job
Effectiveness in finding new employment■ Traditional Networking: 46%■ Internet Job Boards: 25%■ Agency/Recruiter: 14%■ Direct Approach: 7%■ Other: 7%■ Newspaper / Periodical: 1%
"At least 70%, if not 80%, of jobs are not published, yet most people are spending 70 or 80% of their time surfing the net versus getting out there, talking to employers." –Matt Youngquist, the president of Career Horizons
Sources:http://business.time.com/2012/03/13/theise-of-theemote-worker-or-how-to-work-from-home-without-getting-fired/http://business.time.com/2012/04/27/why-face-to-face-networking-trumps-social-networking/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/story/2012-04-29/facebook-face-to-face/54629816/1http://ubiquity.acm.org/article.cfm?id=2043156http://www.forbes.com/forbesinsights/Business_Meetings_FaceToFace/http://www.imex-frankfurt.com/media/207200/MeetologyLabIMEX-FinalReport.pdfhttp://businessnetworking.com/onlinenetworkslag/http://us.moo.com/radio/UKradiopr.pdfhttp://www.aci-na.org/static/entransit/HBRAS_ExecSumm_BA.pdfhttp://www.npr.org/2011/02/08/133474431/a-successful-job-search-its-all-about-networking
Carrie Morris
Author
Warren Dahl
Editor-in-Chief