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If you’re back in the office and noticed that your colleagues are a little more awkward than they used to be, you aren’t alone.

A study by language learning platform Preply found that four in 10 Canadians believe their social skills have declined due to limited in-person interactions during remote work.

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“Remote work offers flexibility and freedom, but it can also contribute to a sense of isolation and detachment from conventional workplace interactions,” the report said.

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Seventy-eight per cent of Canadians have worked or studied remotely at some point since the country first went into pandemic lockdown over four years ago, and many have found it hard to maintain their social skills while spending long periods alone.

On average, people working or learning remotely communicate with others only 4.2 times a week — that’s less than once per day, the poll found.

Some employees have been communicating with team members and colleagues only every few months, a frequency that could be affecting their verbal and written skills, it said.

The report found 86 per cent of Canadians said they experienced at least some challenges collaborating with team members while working or studying remotely.

More than two-thirds of remote workers noticed changes in their social skills.

While 26 per cent said they saw an improvement, 43 per cent felt their social skills were negatively affected due to the limited in-person interactions that come with remote work.

Younger workers were the most affected, with 52 per cent of 16 to 24 year olds noticing a decline in social skills.

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Employees who are used to siloed communication and isolated working may struggle to confidently return to constant in-person interaction, the report said.

Around seven in 10 people noticed at least some change in their verbal or written communication skills, affecting their transition back to the office.

On the bright side, many Canadians saw improvements in their written skills, such as grammar, punctuation and tone.

On average, only eight per cent of people felt their written skills got worse in this period, which is likely due to the emphasis placed on messaging, rather than face-to-face interaction, the study said.

Verbal skills, such as clear speaking, public speaking and active listening, have suffered more in virtual settings.

The findings suggest that companies transitioning back to the office should put some thought into helping their employees redevelop the soft skills that have been most affected.

Preply surveyed 1,518 Canadian residents from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2.

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