  Video conferencing systems have long facilitated work-related conversations
among remote teams. However, social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic has
forced colleagues to use video conferencing platforms to additionally fulfil
social needs. Social talk, or informal talk, is an important workplace practice
that is used to build and maintain bonds in everyday interactions among
colleagues. Currently, there is a limited understanding of how video
conferencing facilitates multiparty social interactions among colleagues. In
our paper, we examine social talk practices during the COVID-19 pandemic among
remote colleagues through semi-structured interviews. We uncovered three key
themes in our interviews, discussing 1) the changing purposes and opportunities
afforded by using video conferencing for social talk with colleagues, 2) how
the nature of existing relationships and status of colleagues influences social
conversations and 3) the challenges and changing conversational norms around
politeness and etiquette when using video conferencing to hold social
conversations. We discuss these results in relation to the impact that video
conferencing tools have on remote social talk between colleagues and outline
design and best practice considerations for multiparty videoconferencing social
talk in the workplace.
