EVERYONE knows what it's like to automatically respond with a "quick fine thanks, you?" – preferably with a smile – to the inevitable "how are you?" that your manager throws you in the hallway. It's like a reflex. Because neither your line manager nor your colleagues expect you to give an honest answer to that question. That's one of the basic rules of small talk.
After going quiet for many months during the pandemic, workplace chat is once again making itself heard in companies, whether in the elevator, at the coffee machine or in the lunch line. These conversations often revolve around safe, neutral, evergreen topics like the weather, problems on public transport or plans for vacations or weekend outings.
However, for many working people, this return to trivial conversations is an uncomfortable experience. Especially as they have learned to do without this kind of small talk on professional messaging systems such as Slack or Microsoft Teams, where the constant flow of requests requires a certain form of restraint and succinctness – getting straight to the point, in other words.
Finding the right subject
But small talk doesn't follow the same rules as professional written communications. This art of banal conversation is much more coded and complex than it seems, especially in a business setting. That's why some employees don't hesitate to search the internet for tips on how to become an ace at office chat.
Google searches on what to talk about with colleagues have increased dramatically over the past two years, reports Business Insider. What's more, the community platform Reddit hosts numerous forums where people exchange tips and tricks for successful small talk and pitfalls to avoid.
Herein lies the difficulty of conversations between colleagues, as these chats need to take into account the specifics and, above all, the limits of each individual. For example, it's not a good idea to talk about divisive or overly personal subjects with a colleague you don't know very well. These include politics, religion and intimate matters.
Some might be tempted to see this as a form of censorship on office small talk, but it is, in fact, a way of accommodating everyone's sensitivities. One in two members of Generation Z say they have already suffered negative effects from discussing political and social topics with their colleagues, according to a PwC survey conducted among 52,195 workers in 2022.
Is this a sign that "you can't say anything about anything anymore," especially to employees under the age of 30? The PwC report suggests otherwise. It states that 83% of Generation Z employees say they have benefited from in-depth discussions with colleagues, even if these can be fertile ground for strong opinions and disagreements.
The benefits of small talk
This is why it's important not to give up on any non-productive conversations in the office, whether by avoiding outspoken colleagues at all costs, or by shutting yourself away in a bubble of silence with your noise-cancelling headphones.
While small talk in the workplace can be perceived as a waste of time, it's an activity that reinforces the feeling of belonging in a company. But that's not its only advantage: chatting with colleagues contributes to employees' well-being and helps them to manage their working day more effectively, according to research published in 2021 in the Academy of Management Journal.
There's every reason to believe that the pleasantries you exchange with your colleagues between meetings are far more important than you think, and can lay the foundations for rewarding professional relationships. But be careful not to overdo it.
Employees who interact with more than 20 colleagues a day often find it difficult to concentrate, and report higher levels of stress than those with more measured social interactions, according to the SFL-Ifop Baromètre Paris Workplace 2019. So, when it comes to office small talk, it's all a question of moderation. – ETX Daily Up, June 15, 2023
