Coffee break: irreplaceable by technology.

TLDR:

• Researcher Øystein Tønnessen from the University of Agder believes that technology cannot replace the social interactions that occur during coffee breaks in the workplace.
• His research focuses on creativity, remote work, and hybrid office solutions, highlighting the importance of informal meetings for building trust and sharing knowledge.

According to Tønnessen, the pandemic has shifted work dynamics, leading to a greater need for understanding the role of creativity in innovation. He found that different stages of creative projects benefit from either in-person collaboration or remote work, depending on the task at hand.

The study also revealed that employees have differing preferences for remote work, influenced by factors such as commuting distance, family situations, and the nature of their tasks.

Overall, Tønnessen emphasizes the importance of incorporating social interactions into the work environment, as technology cannot fully replace the benefits of face-to-face communication.