@techreport{c8a819c8ff0d409983794478c9d393e7,
title = "Is Distance Dead?: Face-to-face Communication and Productivity in Teams",
abstract = "Has technology made face-to-face communication redundant? We investigate using a natural experiment in an organisation where a worker must communicate complex electronic information to a colleague. Productivity is higher when the teammates are (exogenously) in the same room and, inside the room, when their desks are closer together. We establish face-to-face communication as the main mechanism, and rule out alternative channels such as higher effort by co-located workers. The effect is stronger for urgent and complex tasks, for homogeneous workers, and for high pressure conditions. We highlight the opportunity costs of face-to-face communication and their dependence on organisational slack. ",
keywords = "Teamwork, Face-to-face communication, Distance, Organisations, Teamwork, Face-to-face communication, Distance, Organisations",
author = "Diego Battiston and {Blanes i Vidal}, Jordi and Tom Kirchmaier",
year = "2017",
month = mar,
language = "English",
series = "CEP Discussion Paper",
publisher = "Centre for Economic Performance (CEP), London School of Economics and Political Science",
number = "1473",
type = "WorkingPaper",
institution = "Centre for Economic Performance (CEP), London School of Economics and Political Science",
}