A pandemic-era study from Microsoft published in "Nature Human Behavior", found people working remotely felt and acted more siloed from the company and peers. The study reviewed the communications and other actions taken by 61,000 Microsoft employees while they worked remotely during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The surveyed workers reported fewer dynamic interactions within their companies, compared to the dynamic they enjoyed pre-pandemic. The report's authors stated, "We expect that the effects we observe on workers' collaboration and communication patterns will impact productivity and, in the long-term, innovation."

As working remotely becomes a standard offering, are companies putting themselves at risk with disconnected employees? Are silos developing that will inhibit communication and collaboration? Firms can remedy these issues by following several best practices for implementing a remote workforce.