Is "Got a Minute?" the Boldest Question at Work?
Casey Halloran tried everything to get his young travel agents to pick up the phone: training, incentives, even a business psychologist. Two years later, he was "nearly to the point of throwing up hands".
Before we laugh, a confession. Most of us have sent a 14-message chat to someone sitting 12 feet away. We've let a call go to voicemail, then texted, "You called?" The phone isn't the problem. Our nerve is.
Always On, Rarely Connected
The average worker gets 117 emails and 153 Teams messages a day and is interrupted every two minutes. Nearly half of employees and more than half of leaders say work feels "chaotic and fragmented". We have never talked more or said less.
The cost shows. Global engagement fell to 20 percent in 2025, and leaders report more daily loneliness than the people they lead (Gallup). The corner office, it seems, has a great view of no one.
Newcomers feel it too. In the U.K., nearly a quarter of adults ages 18 to 34 say they never answer phone calls. Meanwhile, 98.7 percent of employers call communication essential, yet only 55.4 percent say new graduates are proficient at it.
That's not a character flaw. Researcher Jeff LeBlanc notes that just as many young workers would have been learning these skills, "the room disappeared". The skill isn't missing. It's out of practice.
The Cafeteria Got Loud
When New York pulled phones from classrooms, one school's top complaint became lunches that were "too loud". The kids were talking again. Adults deserve the same noise.
Small Habits, Big Signals
Open meetings with one win and one worry from each person. It takes a minute and tells people they matter more than the agenda.
Before you disagree, restate the other person's point until they nod. Arguments shrink when people feel heard.
Rotate who presents the weekly update. Your quietest analyst may be your next great leader, but you'll never find out if she only builds the slides.
Not the boss? Ask one real follow-up question before sharing your own idea. "What makes that tricky?" builds more trust than a polished deck.
Let Tech Be the Bridge
Use AI like a flight simulator: rehearse the hard conversation, then have the real one before lunch. Adopt a five-reply rule, where any thread past five messages becomes a five-minute call.
Then write down the unwritten rules. "If being late requires a phone call, they need to say so," LeBlanc advises managers. Unspoken expectations hit new hires hardest.
Invest in the Middle
Managers drive at least 70 percent of the variance in team engagement, yet only 44 percent say they've received management training. They also spend just 13 percent of their time developing people. A skill nobody teaches becomes a skill nobody has.
Fund coaching and build mentoring into the job. New to the workforce? Don't wait for a program. Ask for the stretch assignment. Return the call.
Measure the Human Stuff
Add one question to your next 360 review: "Does this person make it easy to disagree with them?" Keep a story bank of moments when you calmed a conflict or won over a skeptic. Employers say specific examples are the best proof of skill.
Your Move
Halloran nearly gave up on the phone. Don't give up on each other.
This week, say one thing out loud that you'd normally type. Leaders, turn one meeting into a practice field. Newcomers, ask the follow-up question. Everyone, pick up when it rings. The notification can wait. The person in front of you shouldn't have to.
References
Fortune. "Gen Z Is Afraid of Talking on the Phone, So One College Launched a Class to Help the Younger Generation Overcome Its Telephobia." February 19, 2025. http://fortune.com/2025/02/19/gen-z-is-afraid-of-talking-on-the-phone-college-launched-class-overcome-telephobia/.
Gallup. "Indicator: Employee Engagement." Accessed November 12, 2026. https://www.gallup.com/394373/indicator-employee-wellbeing.aspx.gallup
Gallup. State of the Global Workplace: 2025 Report. Washington, DC: Gallup, 2025. https://www.gallup.com/file/workplace/659528/state-of-the-global-workplace-2025-download.pdf.gallup
Gallup. State of the Global Workplace: 2026 Report. Washington, DC: Gallup, 2026. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspx.
LeBlanc, Jeff. "Gen Z Communicates Differently in the Workplace, but Older Colleagues Can Still Decode Them." The Conversation, September 25, 2026. https://theconversation.com/gen-z-communicates-differently-in-the-workplace-but-older-colleagues-can-still-decode-them-292108.theconversation
Microsoft. "Breaking Down the Infinite Workday." WorkLab, Work Trend Index Special Report, June 2025. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/breaking-down-infinite-workday.microsoft
National Association of Colleges and Employers. "Job Outlook 2026: Spring Update." Accessed November 12, 2026. https://www.naceweb.org/research/reports/job-outlook/.naceweb
National Association of Colleges and Employers. Job Outlook 2026: Spring Update. Bethlehem, PA: NACE, 2026. https://www.naceweb.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/2026/publication/research-report/2026-job-outlook-report-spring-update.pdf.naceweb
Spectrum News. "Cell Phone Ban Increases Student Engagement, Teachers Say." October 30, 2025. https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/watertown/news/2025/10/30/school-cell-phone-ban-shows-early-success.
