I recently read an article written by Lynda Gratton in May 2022 entitled “Maintaining Network Connections”. The article appeared in the “Strategy+Business” publication from PWC.

The article discusses the notion of strong and weak ties, information flow throughout an organization, and how spending less or even no time physically together with fellow members of our organizations impacts the formation and quality of these ties.

Recognizing the nature of relationships within our organizations is often hard to visualize due to the informal nature of most relationships, but it turns out that what we seem to lose as we work more remotely are our weak ties.

The Dual Benefits of Strong and Weak Ties

Our relationships can be categorized into two main types: strong and weak ties. Strong ties are characterized by close, trust-based relationships with individuals we interact with frequently. These connections are essential for emotional support, collaboration, and the transfer of tacit knowledge—those unwritten insights and skills crucial for nuanced understanding and problem-solving.

Weak ties, on the other hand, are our connections with a broader network of acquaintances. These relationships, though less intimate, are vital for introducing diverse perspectives and new information. They act as bridges to different groups, exposing us to novel ideas and opportunities that can spark innovation.

Think about when you find yourself looking to find new professional opportunities or new jobs. You are more likely to find them through weak ties than your strong ties. This sounds counter-intuitive given that your strong ties are some of your biggest supporters. However, not only do you have a higher number of weak ties, but your weak ties are much better at exposing you to new networks, new ideas, and new leads that are outside of your normal circle.

Applying Ties to Organizational Information Flow

In an organizational context, both strong and weak ties play pivotal roles. Strong ties within teams foster a collaborative environment where group knowledge is readily shared. This trust-based sharing is critical for complex problem-solving and maintaining a cohesive team dynamic.

Conversely, weak ties enable the cross-pollination of ideas and practices across different departments and teams. They facilitate the spread of explicit knowledge—information that is easy to document and share—and are crucial for driving innovation through diverse input and perspectives.

The Remote Work Challenge

The shift to remote work has disrupted these dynamics. While many employees have strengthened their strong ties with close colleagues, their weaker connections have often eroded. This change limits exposure to new ideas and reduces the likelihood of serendipitous encounters that often lead to innovative solutions.

To address these challenges, organizations must take intentional steps to nurture both strong and weak ties in a remote work environment.

Here are some potential ideas to consider.

Facilitate Virtual Serendipity

• Implement virtual coffee chats or "randomized coffee trials" to encourage informal interactions between employees who might not usually connect.

• Host large-scale virtual events and discussions to mimic the spontaneous conversations that occur in an office setting.

Strengthen Weak Ties

• Form cross-functional project teams to promote knowledge sharing and collaboration across different areas of the organization.

• Utilize internal social networks and collaboration tools to make it easier for employees to connect beyond their immediate teams.

Enhance Knowledge Capture (which is essential when people don’t have strong ties)

• Invest in robust knowledge management systems to ensure explicit knowledge is accessible to all employees.

• Encourage thorough documentation of best practices, project insights, and lessons learned to retain and disseminate knowledge across the organization.

Support the Connectors in Your Organization

• Identify and support individuals who naturally bridge different teams and departments. There are normally just a handful of people who fill this informal, but critical role in organizations. These individuals can help maintain and strengthen connections across the organization, facilitating the flow of information and ideas.

Takeaways

Understanding and managing the dynamics of strong and weak ties within organizations is essential for maintaining a healthy flow of information and fostering innovation. By taking deliberate actions to nurture these connections, we can enhance organizational resilience and adaptability in a remote work environment.

As we continue to navigate the evolving landscape of work, it is crucial to ensure clear visibility into how networks and knowledge flows are operating within our companies. By doing so, we can create an environment that not only supports productivity but also drives continuous improvement and innovation.

We want to achieve a good balance between strong ties and weak ties throughout our organizations. We should be cognizant that the impact of the changes of the last several years to more remote work present challenges and opportunities to developing weak ties. Therefore, finding ways to visualize and cultivate weak ties throughout the organization is likely the greater need in most organizations today.