The Shift in Collaborative Relationships in a Distributed Workforce

During the pandemic, Microsoft conducted a study on their own employees and found that collaborative relationships had shifted. People were more inclined to team up with individuals who were similar to them, rather than reaching out to those with weaker ties. This phenomenon of preferring stronger ties is consistent with the challenge of horizontal teaming in a distributed workforce, where the hurdle to collaborating with unfamiliar individuals increases. As a result, people tend to stick to their existing connections and may overlook opportunities for diverse collaboration.