Remote Teams May Actually Forge Deeper Bonds - Insights from Dr. Beth Schinoff

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The debate around remote work and relationships usually goes something like this: "Sure, remote work is more productive and flexible, but what about company culture? What about those watercooler moments? What about RELATIONSHIPS?" This well-worn argument assumes remote teams sacrifice meaningful connections for convenience. But what if that assumption is fundamentally flawed? What if remote work doesn't just preserve workplace relationships, but can actually deepen them in unique and powerful ways? That's exactly what researcher Beth Schinoff and her colleagues discovered in their groundbreaking study "A Window into Coworkers' Worlds." Dr. Schinoff’s research challenges the conventional wisdom about remote work relationships and reveals how virtual interactions can forge authentic bonds that rival - and sometimes surpass - traditional office connections.

This study provides compelling evidence for what many remote workers have experienced firsthand but struggled to articulate: that meaningful professional relationships aren't bound by physical proximity. The findings resonated so strongly with my own personal experience that I immediately reached out to Dr. Schinoff to dive deeper into the implications of her research for remote culture and workplace relationships. She graciously agreed to share her insights on how virtual interactions can foster authentic connections that challenge traditional assumptions about workplace bonds.

Dr. Schinoff is an Assistant Professor of Management in the Department of Business Administration at the University of Delaware. Her research examines how people connect with each other and define themselves at work. Her work has been published in top management outlets such as the Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science and Harvard Business Review. Dr. Schinoff earned her Ph.D. from Arizona State University. Prior to joining University of Delaware, she was on faculty at Boston College.

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"Remote Relationships Can Be Even Richer" - A Conversation with Organizational Researcher Beth Schinoff

Jim: Let's start with your background - what got you interested in remote work relationships as a research topic?

Beth: It started when I moved to Arizona for my PhD program. I was maintaining and forging rich coworker relationships remotely with coauthors and fellow PhD students around the world. The existing research suggested that remote relationships weren't as rich or high quality as in-person ones. But this didn't match my own experience, which got me interested in studying how people forge, maintain, and transition relationships while working remotely.

Jim: Your study "A Window into Coworkers' Worlds" proved something many remote workers intuitively know to be true but have struggled to articulate - that remote work can foster meaningful relationships, despite assumptions otherwise. What motivated this research and what were the key findings?

Beth: We started this study in 2020, right when everyone suddenly went remote due to COVID. The general assumption was that work relationships would become lower quality with this transition. But that's not what was happening. People were actually having meaningful interactions  with coworkers, learning new things about them, seeing different sides of them.

We realized there was more happening in remote relationships than previously understood. Managers were still saying in-person was the only way, but we wanted to provide a different perspective and show how remote work can actually enhance relationships rather than diminish them. We're not saying it's always or wholly better - just that there's something different and valuable in remote relationships that hadn't been considered before.

Jim: The study talks about the power of seeing authentic, unfiltered moments of coworkers' lives - whether it's a child popping into a video call or a glimpse into someone's living space. How does this "window" into colleagues' worlds impact relationships?

Beth: These moments humanize people. You see your coworkers as real people with lives outside of work. That's very different from how someone might present themselves in an office setting.

Our research finds that authenticity matters, but so does the incidental nature of it. The more curated something is, the less authentic it seems. To the extent that people can have their videos on and let others see what's really happening in the background, assuming it's not disruptive, that generally enhances relationships. We even tested for negative information - learning something unflattering about a coworker still humanized them in a way that strengthened the relationship.

Jim: But there's a balance, right? A dog barking repeatedly throughout a meeting or a child interrupting constantly crosses the line from endearing to disruptive. Any tips on allowing authenticity without going too far?

Beth: Absolutely, we all have intuition for that tipping point. If you see coworkers getting annoyed, use your emotional intelligence.

These moments being unexpected is part of what makes them powerful as well. So things like a pet jumping on you or a child asking you a question might be positive interruptions while a colleague who doesn’t mute themselves while their dog barks through the whole call would be disruptive.

Jim: Another powerful concept from the study was "vividness" - actually witnessing and participating in slice-of-life moments together, rather than just hearing about them secondhand. Can you expand on that?

Beth: Right, you're not just being told something happened - you're seeing it unfold in real-time and engaging with it as a group. People assume video calls are inherently less vivid than in-person interaction, but here's a very different take. There's increased vividness for non-work aspects of life because you can observe and take part in them directly, not just hear them described or see a photo after the fact when you’re in the office together. It showcases the potential of video calls to bring more of colleagues' outside identities into their work.

Jim: That makes sense. Just the other day, one of my friends was on a Zoom call with the CEO and executive team of a huge prospect and his daughter came into the background. They were telling me how embarrassed they were afterwards, but I shared your study because there's zero chance that damaged the relationship.

Beth: If anything, it humanized them. They're not just this powerful person who's a steward of the organization - they're an actual person with a life outside of work. That's what we're learning about our colleagues. You would never have had that experience in the office. If the daughter had been in the office, she probably would have been presented differently, dressed differently, acted differently, because an office building brings out a different side of you. Here you actually see who his daughter is.

Jim: For managers looking to support remote teams, what guidance can you share about fostering a culture that allows for these moments while avoiding artificial or forced interactions?

Beth: The key is intentionality. Not every meeting needs a relationship-building aim, but some should. When working remotely, you have to consciously make that a goal. Research shows if you're not deliberately cultivating remote relationships, they don't develop as organically as in person. In-person interactions have spontaneity and richness that can’t be replicated online without a thoughtful approach. So managers need to intentionally carve out space for that unplanned bonding and learning to happen.

Jim: There's also a broader discussion around how much of our social needs should be met through work versus other avenues. If someone has a robust social life outside the office, they may not require as much bonding with colleagues to feel fulfilled. But employers seem uneasy with that idea of work not being the center of your social world.

Beth: Exactly. People differ in how much external connection they have and what they want from work relationships. I believe you can get the same social and professional benefits remotely as in-person - it just takes more effort and intentionality.

My dissertation actually looked at this - I found intentionally establishing a "relational cadence" is vital for remote work friendships. Matching your communication style and cadence to your coworker's preferences, whether for a close friendship or a more transactional relationship. Deliberately bringing more of yourself into interactions, not just focusing on tasks. That's where many went wrong during lockdown - being so work-focused confirmed assumptions you can't bond virtually, but they weren't really trying to.

Jim: Last question - based on your research, if you were designing a company's work model from scratch, what would it be?

Beth: I would probably go fully remote, but be very intentional about bringing people together at key times. Ideally have new hires meet in person at least once early on, as that fundamentally changes the relationship trajectory. If that's not feasible, have them do non-work activities together online right away.

The goal is to consciously set the stage for them to build meaningful relationships virtually from day one. Then you get the best of both worlds - the flexibility, productivity, and work-life integration benefits of remote work, while still fulfilling core belonging needs. There will always be challenges with remote work, but if you're thoughtful about identifying and proactively addressing them, the advantages can far outweigh the downsides.

The Future of Work is Human-First (Even When It's Remote)

The research is clear: meaningful workplace relationships aren't about physical proximity - they're about intentional connection. Remote work doesn't eliminate workplace bonds; it transforms how we build them, often leading to deeper, more authentic relationships than traditional office settings allow.

For remote leaders, this means moving past outdated assumptions about virtual relationships and instead focusing on deliberately creating spaces for genuine connection. For remote workers, it means embracing those unscripted moments that let colleagues see the full person behind the professional persona.

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