The Age of Technology Driven Culture

In the age of Technology Driven Culture, our communication landscape has been drastically transformed. With extensive use of mobile phones, social media, instant messaging, and virtual interactions, we are more connected than ever before. However, this shift raises an important question: has Technology Driven Culture ruined our ability to communicate? While technology has undoubtedly made it easier to reach out to others, it has also altered the way we interact, express ourselves, and understand each other. I will try to delve into the impacts of Technology Driven culture on our communication skills and explore ways to break away from the “online-only communications” of our increasingly digital lives.

Has our ability to communicate change?

In this social media, digital-driven world we live in there are 2.9 billion active users of Facebook, 556 million on X and our daily use of email at work is something akin to being on an intravenous drip. It’s something we rely on too heavily for business communications.   I see people on my daily commute to work with their heads buried in their phones checking the latest news or Facebook status, while others are chained to their devices via headphones. This makes for a very quiet bus smattered with only a few face-to-face conversations, can we still communicate with each other other than via our mobile phones?

Our Mobile phones are taking over?

In the modern world, mobile phones have become indispensable extensions of our lives (for adults and children alike), transforming the way we communicate, work, and entertain ourselves. From managing our schedules to connecting with friends, family and accessing endless information, these devices are deeply embedded in our daily lifestyle.

But as we embrace the convenience and connectivity that mobile phones offer, it’s important to reflect on how their pervasive presence is shaping our lives. Are they enhancing our productivity, or are we becoming overly dependent on them to such an extent we can’t live without them?

Even in environments that were once quite social places, like restaurants, I see mobile phones being used at the tables – what happened to conversation? Are we losing the ability to communicate with each other and is this being brought into our work life via an overuse of email?  A report by Forbes, Email Marketing Statistics in 2024 stated that “Email remains a powerful tool for businesses worldwide. With 4.48 billion users globally, the reach is immense. Analysts predict this number will continue to grow, reaching 4.59 billion in 2025 and 4.73 billion by 2026.”

Should I send that email?

It may be easy to send an email, a safe place to hide behind when giving constructive feedback or when asking for some action on an issue.  But do you really need to send that email to all those people? And are you sending it to a raft of people to cover yourself if the issue doesn’t go away – to show you’ve asked for help?

Or should you just get out of your chair and go and speak to the one person who can probably help you – and get the issue resolved that way? Are you just being lazy? And if so, are you being physically lazy as well as lazy about whether the matter is resolved so that business can resume as usual?

Get out of your chair and break the email cycle

Nothing beats a face-to-face conversation. It’s hard to misinterpret, unlike an email where “tone” is easily lost or misapplied. Take responsibility to break the chain of email and call or go and see the person you got the email from.  As leaders, we need to spot this behaviour in ourselves and others by calling out the email cycle and devising a plan on how it can be broken.

Technology Driven Culture – What can you do?

Try a day a week without sending internal email or, alternatively pick up the phone, or go and have a coffee with your intended recipient. Or, try engaging with the intended recipient by way of one of my favourite communication tools – the walking meeting.  Look at a corporate messaging/social strategy for your business so you can incorporate an instant message solution, such as Teams, Google Hangouts or Slack where a quick message can be easily sent rather than an email.

Face to Face

Even if you have colleagues in other countries and you want to have a face-to-face conversation there is Video conferencing, Zoom, Teams, or Google Hangout. Don’t let distance be an excuse for sending that email.  Don’t get me wrong, email has its place, where some messages are best delivered by email. This is a sad reality of business.  

However, using other tools that are familiar to users outside of the business arena may increase uptake and use.  The use of social media in your personal life, if such use is anything like mine, has certainly meant a reduction in personal emails as the sharing of photos catching up with your mates is no longer carried out primarily (if at all) via email.

Evolving Communication Experiences

Technology Driven Culture has significantly transformed our communication landscape, offering both opportunities and challenges. While it has enabled unprecedented levels of connectivity and convenience, allowing us to communicate across geographical, and cultural boundaries and time zones, it has also introduced complexities that affect the quality of our interactions. Digital communication can sometimes lack the depth and nuance of face-to-face conversations, potentially leading to misunderstandings and a sense of isolation. However, rather than ruining our ability to communicate, Technology Driven Culture has reshaped it, requiring us to adapt and find balance. By being mindful of these changes and leveraging the benefits while addressing the drawbacks, we can enrich our communication experiences in the digital age

Struggling with Technology Driven Culture?, then check out my blog post Mental Health: 8 Ways to Find Balance in a Digital World

Any good ideas on how to get people off email/mobile phones and actually talking, feel free to leave a comment below….so how do you prefer to communicate with others…?