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Man working from home on video call with coworkerOverview:

The NASA Langley Research Center Future of Work (FOW) team looks to understand creative and novel methods to enable innovative communication and collaboration between remote, hybrid, and on-site workers. The FOW team plans to experiment with actionable ideas and technologies to develop NASA best practices and policies.

Background:

Following the pandemic, NASA, amongst many other organizations, has embraced the hybrid work model to improve flexibility for employees and permit NASA to capitalize on a nationally available talent pool. NASA is committed to recruiting and sustaining a diverse workforce while ensuring equity and inclusivity for all employees regardless of their work location.

While the hybrid model has demonstrated a significant amount of work can be performed effectively remotely, challenges have been proposed regarding the lack of in-person spontaneous collaboration and discussion and the effect this may have on generating innovative ideas, mentoring, and forming beneficial relationships. NASA would like to understand creative methods, including best practices and technologies, to ensure all employees have access to collaborative tools.

Possible Solution Areas:

  • Examples of solutions may include but are not limited to:
  • Tools for enabling spontaneous discussion and brainstorming
  • Alternatives to traditional, intentionally scheduled collaboration sessions that better reflect in-person impromptu collaboration
  • Recreating the “water cooler effect” in a hybrid environment
  • Alternative meeting structures to inspire discussion
  • Use of physical employee experience areas
  • Hardware/software tools to enable collaboration

 

Desired outcome of the solution:

LaRC FOW Team would like to trial/experiment actionable tools and methods with small groups of employees.

 

Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash


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