# Bridging Social Distance During Social Distancing: Exploring Social Talk and Remote Collegiality in Video Conferencing

**Authors:** Anna Bleakley, Daniel Rough, Justin Edwards, Philip R. Doyle, Odile Dumbleton, Leigh Clark, Sean Rintel, Vincent Wade, Benjamin R. Cowan  
**arXiv:** [2109.14965](https://arxiv.org/abs/2109.14965)  
**Date:** 2021-09-30  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/paper/2109.14965v1/

## Key points

- COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased use of video conferencing platforms for social talk among colleagues
- Limited understanding of how video conferencing facilitates multiparty social interactions among colleagues
- Authors conducted a study through semi-structured interviews to examine social talk practices during the pandemic among remote colleagues
- Study uncovered three key themes related to social talk during video conferencing sessions:
- Changing purposes and opportunities afforded by using video conferencing for social talk with colleagues
- Nature of existing relationships and status of colleagues influences social conversations
- Challenges and changing conversational norms around politeness and etiquette when using video conferencing to hold social conversations
- Results discussed in relation to impact that video conferencing tools have on remote social talk between colleagues
- Design and best practice considerations outlined for multiparty videoconferencing social talk in the workplace.

## Summary

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many colleagues to use video conferencing platforms not only for work-related conversations but also to fulfil their social needs. Social talk, which is an informal workplace practice used to build and maintain bonds among colleagues, has become increasingly important in remote work settings. However, there is limited understanding of how video conferencing facilitates multiparty social interactions among colleagues. In their paper titled "Bridging Social Distance During Social Distancing: Exploring Social Talk and Remote Collegiality in Video Conferencing," authors Anna Bleakley, Daniel Rough, Justin Edwards, Philip R. Doyle, Odile Dumbleton, Leigh Clark, Sean Rintel, Vincent Wade and Benjamin R. Cowan examine social talk practices during the pandemic among remote colleagues through semi-structured interviews. Their study uncovered three key themes related to social talk during video conferencing sessions: firstly, the changing purposes and opportunities afforded by using video conferencing for social talk with colleagues; secondly, how the nature of existing relationships and status of colleagues influences social conversations; and thirdly, the challenges and changing conversational norms around politeness and etiquette when using video conferencing to hold social conversations. The authors discuss these results in relation to the impact that video conferencing tools have on remote social talk between colleagues and outline design and best practice considerations for multiparty videoconferencing social talk in the workplace. This paper was accepted for publication in the Journal of Human-Computer Interaction Special Issue on the Future of Remote Work: Responses to the Pandemic. The authors include Anna Bleakley from University College Dublin; Daniel Rough from University College Cork; Justin Edwards from Microsoft Research Cambridge; Philip R. Doyle from University College Cork; Odile Dumbleton from Trinity College Dublin; Leigh Clark from Microsoft Research Cambridge; Sean Rintel from University of Queensland; Vincent Wade from Trinity College Dublin; and Benjamin R. Cowan from University College Dublin.