So how's your cat? Panasonic orders chats to fight telework blues

Quick mandatory two-minute small talk boosts morale and productivity

20200723N panasonic

Brief chats with co-workers while teleworking has led to faster decision-making at Panasonic. (Photo courtesy of Panasonic)

NORIO MATSUMOTO, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- Going weeks without seeing co-workers as one toils away anonymously in front of a screen leads to not only a heightened sense of isolation for the individual but also can do serious damage to company morale.

To cure these telework blues, Panasonic has devised a simple rule: Employees must spend the first two minutes of every online meeting catching up on each other's lives.

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