HOUSTON — In recent years, technology has made it easier for coworkers to stay in touch . Zoom, Slack, Teams and even texting are now the go-to way a lot of us communicate.
But there is one basic means of communication that can send even skilled workers down a rabbit hole of fear and anxiety -- the phone call.
The apprehension over phone calls among people 40 years of age and under is pretty well-documented. Gen Z and even millennials have loudly voiced their disdain for the formally common activity.
According to the Wall Street Journal, between 2012 and 2022 voice call minutes on mobile devices grew just 8.7 percent. Over the same time period. landline usage plummeted, meaning overall there were a lot less phone calls being made.
Call avoiders complain it is hard to read social cues over the phone, while a text message allows you to spend time working on a response and even edit what you have to say.
While this may be more comforting for workers, it is causing problems for businesses, who need workers willing to pick up the phone.
This has spawned a new industry -- phone call consultants. One consultant told the Wall Street Journal she charges $3,000 for half-day trainings. One surprising question she hears -- How do I end a phone call?
