Like many communications professionals, I began working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic and haven’t returned to the office. Over time, I came to appreciate the flexibility remote work offered. But I also noticed a quiet shift in how professional relationships develop.
In remote environments, collaboration happens through Teams messages, redlined Word documents, scheduled 1:1s, and even AI tools. These systems make communications more efficient, especially for feedback and execution. But they also make workplace interaction feel more scheduled and transactional.
Some of the most valuable lessons in communications come through observation: reviewing edits side-by-side with colleagues, debriefing on the walk back from a meeting, or a side conversation while the conference line is on mute. Those moments rarely felt important at the time. But they shaped how I understood the industry, decision-making, and how other professionals approached their work. Those lessons don’t come from an onboarding manual, but they play a major role in shaping professional judgment over the course of a career.
Learning by observation is harder to recreate remotely because informal interaction now requires more intentional effort. You can schedule virtual coffee chats or informal check-ins with colleagues, but there’s a meaningful difference between a conversation that happens naturally and one that needs a calendar invite. The shift is subtle, but it changes how trust, perspective, and professional relationships develop over time.
The challenge isn’t remote work itself. It’s figuring out how to create space for the kinds of everyday interactions that once happened more naturally in shared offices. A recent Gallup report found that relationship building, in-person conversations, and collaboration remain the most important benefits of onsite work for hybrid employees. The findings show that professionals still want opportunities to connect beyond the day-to-day work.
That’s one reason PRSA Nashville has been so valuable for me. While working remotely, the chapter helped me stay connected locally and created opportunities for the kinds of conversations that can be harder in fully remote environments. Some of the best ones happened before an event started, after a presentation ended, or during a discussion that wasn’t part of the agenda.
Remote work offers a lot, especially flexibility and efficiency. But it works best when it includes the kinds of conversations that can’t be scheduled. For me, PRSA Nashville has become one of the more reliable places to find those moments.
Corey Carmichael serves as Secretary on the PRSA Nashville Board of Directors.