I evidently explained that poorly. The idea was that if you're going to a meeting in a building at work, then you might arrive early. You might spend a few minutes chatting with a coworker who also arrived early. This "irrelevant" social chatter helps build a relationship, and might be less likely to occur if you're telecommuting, because then your conversations might be forced to be purposeful. You no longer can transfer information over casual watercooler breaks.