Colleagues ghosting each other becoming more common

One of the downfalls of a hybrid working arrangement can be a constant communication breakdown, with workers often ghosting their colleagues.

In an office setting, it’s difficult to get away with flat-out ignoring direct communication from colleagues – but in an online setting, the action becomes much more guilt-free and accessible.

According to recent research conducted by Lucid Software, many employees are facing this sting of rejection from their colleagues, with ghosting among coworkers increasing amid hybrid working arrangements.

Due to the arrangements, various platforms for communication are often set up, causing frustration among employees.

“As hybrid work becomes a mainstay, it’s clear that teams are facing challenges when it comes to collaborating effectively. Our recent Hybrid Whiplash survey shows that complicated tech stacks aren’t just frustrating to navigate – they’re affecting productivity for 91 per cent of Australian workers,” said Jessica Guistolise, evangelist at Lucid Software.

“People are feeling overwhelmed and undervalued, leading to more frequent communication gaps between colleagues as they struggle to determine where or how to respond to requests or provide input.”

According to Guistolise, these ineffective communication strategies stunt productivity, leading to a shortfall in business outcomes as teams are held back from prospering.

“Lucid has found that people spend up to three hours per decision just trying to move initiatives forward. Seventy-five of individuals say that ineffective communication hinders their ability to innovate, which, in turn, means organisations lose their competitive edge,” she said.

“When consistent miscommunication begins to impede the natural sharing of ideas, people may not feel confident contributing to collaboration or decision making, which can hold teams back.”

Guistolise stresses the need for easy-to-use communication platforms as hybrid working arrangements continue to be mainstays in the Australian workplace moving forward.

“This communication breakdown reveals a simple truth about the world of work: when it comes to hybrid arrangements, creating psychologically safe, easy-to-use spaces for employees to interact can help organisations resolve current productivity lags.

“Regardless of whether employees are in one office or spread across multiple countries, companies must invest in the right tools and technology to keep teams connected, aligned and collaborating seamlessly,” Guistolise said.

“Visual collaboration helps streamline communication, reducing friction and supporting transparency across hybrid teams. Creating digital spaces where people can collaborate without having to switch between multiple technical platforms keeps teams aligned, engaged and ultimately minimises the frustration that comes with miscommunication.”

Kace O'Neill

Kace O'Neill is a Graduate Journalist for HR Leader. Kace studied Media Communications and Maori studies at the University of Otago, he has a passion for sports and storytelling.