Hybrid work may offer a much-desired level of flexibility, but there is a price to pay for this work if you inadvertently isolate yourself from peers. Ineffective communication and loneliness are two consequences of the hybrid work context, and in the spirit of “use it or lose it,” you stand to lose critical social brain functions if you stop being socially intelligent.

The human brain is endowed with many social functions, such as networks to mirror the emotions of others so that we have empathy, networks to understand the intentions of others so that we negotiate effectively, ways of remembering faces and ineffable characteristics of others and numerous other social functions that may dwindle unless we find active ways to build new social functions into our lives.

A recent study explained that there are seven computations that the social brain makes. As with many brain functions, if we do not practice them, these abilities could dwindle. Below is a list of each function and what you can do to ensure that they remain sharp in a hybrid setting.

Social Perception

When at work, it’s important to be able to see teams operating, and to identify how people are feeling. Having your finger on the pulse of this in an office is often automatic. However, in hybrid working conditions, this may be less obvious.

Suggested Action: Develop a way to keep informed about team dynamics and the “emotional temperature” of the team so that you stay socially informed.

Social Inferences

Theory of mind (ToM), or mentalizing, refers to our ability to infer the hidden mental states of other people, such as their beliefs, intentions and feelings.

Suggested Action: At meetings, you might ask someone to explain another person’s point of view as they see it. It will nudge the social brain to get back into this inferential state.

Social Learning

Social learning allows for groups to feel more connected and coherent. By observing, mimicking and joining forces with others, we boost the capacity of the social brain.

Suggested Action: Set aside specific meetings for cross-domain perspectives with the intention of joining them in the mission and vision of your organization.

Social Signaling

We don’t just learn from what people say, we also learn from verbal and nonverbal cues. Turning cameras off may reduce fatigue, but it also hinders nonverbal communication.

Suggested Action: Dedicate some time for camera-on interactions.

Social Drives

While staying at home may make you feel protected, those who go to work are developing a different kind of social capital. They are the in-group and could have certain advantages for promotions and choices. Also, social capital can improve brain function, as it improves cognitive health and brain structure.

Suggested Action: Stay “in the know” by staying connected with people who are in the office or go in occasionally.

Social Identity

Your identity is informed by your interactions. These aspects of identity are often relative, so that when you work alone, you can lose sight of your relative significance.

Suggested Action: Ensure that you meet with people who are different from you, even if they don’t fall within your scope of work.

Minimizing Uncertainty

Knowledge of social groups can help you understand employee behavior — those who are likely to stay versus leave, for instance.

Suggested Action: Ask people overtly about this, and how you could help retain them if you so desire. Also, wherever possible, define roles and outline priorities.

Flexible work has many advantages, but if you don’t pay attention to the social brain, you will not be operating at the best of your abilities.