Care and Feeding of Introvert Team Members
Introverts need their space.
Many companies have shrunk their office space in post-pandemic adjustments. If you put introverts into shoulder-to-shoulder close proximity with other people, many end up feeling overwhelmed and distracted by the constant barrage of “people cues.” You won’t get their best work under these conditions.
Find ways to give them their own quiet corner. Let them wear noise-cancelling headphones. Don’t derail their train-of-thought again and again by asking them to pull in their chair so you can get through.
Some people enjoy the social component of the in-person office experience, but most introverts are not those people. There may be logical reasons for them to be working in the office, but it is a barrage of distractions that often leaves them feeling exhausted.
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