5 Tips for Active Listening in a Hybrid Workspace

By Jamy J. Sullivan, JD, Robert Half

In the legal field, active listening is essential when interacting with clients, witnesses and investigators. While passive listeners focus on their own agenda as someone speaks, active listeners engage fully with what’s being said to them. They note verbal and nonverbal communication, use body language to show they’re listening and prioritize understanding over responding with their own ideas. The result? They tend to remember details better, collaborate more effectively and develop stronger professional relationships.

A hybrid workspace complicates this. The nuanced interactions of a courtroom or negotiation table don’t translate seamlessly to virtual platforms, where the limitations of technology can filter out non-verbal cues and reduce engagement. Screen fatigue also makes paying attention harder.

The answer isn’t to listen more. It’s to listen more effectively and foster quality virtual conversations.

1. Create a distraction-free zone. Aim to make your remote workspace as conducive to focus as your office. Turn off those pop-up notifications and find ways to prevent potential distractions — such as your personal phone ringing or a pet bursting in — ahead of time.
   
2. Pay full attention. When you're on a call, resist the urge to multitask. Glancing over documents or emails might seem efficient, but it can signal apathy or indifference. Give virtual attendees the undivided attention you give to clients sitting across from you.
   
   
3. Look and learn. Approach video chats with the same analytical eye as in a courtroom or deposition. Look for nonverbal cues that could provide a window into the participants’ thoughts and feelings about the matter at hand.
   
   
4. Show you’re all in. Convey your engagement through nods, smiles and offering verbal signs of agreement or understanding to show you're fully present, just as you would in a conference room.
   
   
5. Double-check understanding. After hashing out the nitty-gritty of tactics or procedures, take a moment to summarize and agree on key actions. It's a good check-in to help ensure everyone's on the same page — and highlights your dedication to the team's shared goals.