2.1 | Formal Proposal for Increasing Opportunities for Casual and Unplanned Interactions Between Team Members of The Digital Services Team of Public Services and Procurement Canada

To: Dr. Erika Paterson

From: Alethea Kramer

Date: February 22, 2023

Subject: Proposal for Increasing Opportunities for Casual and Unplanned Interactions Between Team Members of The Digital Services Team of Public Services and Procurement Canada

Introduction:

The Digital Services Team is a part of the Public Services and Procurement Canada department within the federal government of Canada. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, most of the work has been conducted virtually, with each team member working from home. Many tasks, such as application development and website maintenance, can be done independently without consistent interaction with other team members, resulting in a decrease in casual or unplanned interactions among team members. These interactions are crucial for team morale and spontaneous creativity.

Intended Audience:

The manager of The Digital Services Team, who is responsible for decision-making on team activities and organization.

Statement of Problem:

Currently, there are limited opportunities for casual or impromptu interactions between team members. These interactions are essential for maintaining positive relationships and job satisfaction, and they can also lead to creative and collaborative problem solving, which can improve work performance. The absence of these interactions can lead to workplace isolation and poor performance, hindering personal development and disrupting team productivity.

Proposed Solution:

One possible solution is to encourage in-person work, while another is to use digital tools and intentional planning to facilitate these interactions online. Online and remote work offer many potential benefits to team members, so complete removal of that option is not considered.

Scope:

To assess the methods for increasing casual and unplanned professional interactions between team members, I plan to pursue inquiry in the following six areas:

1. What proportion of workdays would team members prefer to be in-person versus remote?
2. What incentives would increase team members’ desire to work in-person?
3. How much unplanned interaction and how often would it need to occur to benefit personal and team performance?
4. Which digital tools are available and how could they be applied to increase instances of unplanned or casual interaction?
5. Is there a difference in value between digital casual interactions and in-person casual interactions?
6. How do we measure the impact of these interactions?

Methods:

The primary method will be to create and distribute a survey to examine and evaluate the experience of online or hybrid workers. The survey will be distributed directly to The Digital Services team members and posted to a community of co-op students in the same field who work online. Collecting data beyond the immediate team of study will address the areas of inquiry and provide relevant perspectives from outside this specific team dynamic.

Qualifications:

I have been working with The Digital Services team since August 2022 and have experience in office, online, and hybrid roles, which has given me insight into team dynamics. As a member of the team of study, I am familiar with sentiment around the topic and have unique insights on important factors and team members’ priorities. Thus, I am well-prepared to create the survey and report on the data.

Conclusion:

Personal and professional fulfillment from work has a significant impact on one’s overall wellbeing and performance. Since many people spend a majority of their time at work, the quality of personal interactions in the workplace is crucial. Improving team members’ wellbeing and performance not only enhances work quality and production but also positively impacts their personal lives. With your approval, I will commence the research promptly.