Why there’s no substitute for face-to-face meetings

THERE have been several articles and letters from people such as Professor Double (The Yorkshire Post, April 16) suggesting Covid-19, which has forced more people to work from home, will fundamentally change working practices.

In particular he stated there would be no need for HS2 (ironically published the same day the Government gave it the go-ahead).

While new technology is making it easy to see and speak to others on desktop screens, there is no good substitute for face-to-face meetings.

This is especially true when transacting business with potential customers with whom you are not familiar.

The importance of body language in strengthening rapport should not be underestimated – the type of handshake, the eye contact, the size of pupils, the body postures.

These all have a part to play in interpreting receptiveness to your propositions. Indeed business customs overseas often require “getting-to-know-you meetings” before doing any business.

Many business operations depend on teamwork, not isolated individuals.

How do employees gel with each other if they do not have close contact? And group participation can spark new ideas, leading to new products and processes.

Undoubtedly distant working will increase. But don’t let us forget the value of face-to-face contact.

From: Natalie Bennett, Green Party, Stafford Street, Sheffield.

YOUr report “HS2 given green light to enter construction phase” has to be considered shocking in the context.

A Government failing to cope with the shortages of personal protective equipment in hospitals and care homes has found time to give the go-ahead to spend what is likely to be more than £100bn on an already questionable project.

But there’s more. For this project – based on assumptions about expanding commuting and business travel – faces now an even larger barrier in surmounting any sense test.

Every expert and commentator I’ve seen understands the world of work will be different after coronavirus. The rules of work, the economic foundations of our society, will shift.

Movement, and presence, will be seen as far less necessary than before. That makes the foundations for this troubled, enormously expensive, carbon-intensive project even less sound.

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James Mitchinson

Editor