During the day we are all glued to our inboxes. On an evening if we’re not exercising or spending quality time with the family, more likely than not we are watching Netflix or another on demand video service.

The question then is what do you prefer doing? Trawling through your inbox or watching Netflix?

I know what I prefer to do.

As humans we prefer face-to-face communication. What if we could make the inbox more personable? How would this improve the quality of engagement and communication overall?

Instead of having email threads, you could have video episodes. It’s no fun reading threads and nested conversations on email. It’s a lot more enjoyable watching video episode after video episode. This approach takes less time and offers more engagement, especially when the video has a transcript which is searchable.

In terms of email receipts, these are often discarded. With video, you can see who’s played each clip.

Being glued to an inbox is no fun, especially when you have a high volume of daily emails. Transforming this into a more personable, scalable experience where you can watch video, play voice notes, and read messages adds a whole new dimension.

As we all participate in the world’s largest remote working experiment, playing videos in your inbox makes us feel more connected to people. Social distancing has got in the way of maintaining personable connections. A video first approach to your inbox, complemented with voice notes from people who are camera shy, maintains a sense of human connection.

Hiding behind email won’t last as social distancing is prolonged. People need to talk to each other in an efficient and effective way. Yes, Zoom calls are the answer in many instances where you can schedule a time to talk. In times where a meeting is not necessary and an email just lacks personality, sending a video or voice note is a better option.

Let’s not make social distancing a barrier to being sociable at work.