5 Actionable Steps for Building a Community at Work
We’re more connected than ever by technology, but we have lost many of the valuable benefits of personal, human interaction. And loneliness has become widespread in our workplaces.
In the absence of belonging, work can seem lonely and isolating.
Prioritizing belonging is no longer a “nice to have” part of your work culture—it has become business critical. And in some ways, you’ll have to work harder to get it.
It’s no longer guaranteed that colleagues work directly next to each other or that an annual holiday party or occasional happy hour will “unite” the team. Creating a culture of belonging and community is vital as we adjust back to the office, in a hybrid world of work, or on a virtual team.
Creating healthy workplace cultures takes time and effort, but it’s not impossible.
When employees feel they’re part of a community, you’ll see a happier, healthier, more engaged workforce—and a better bottom line.
It’s easy to understand the direct correlation between engaged teams, happiness, and profitability, but HOW do we become more engaged and communal at work?
Here are 5 actionable steps:
1. Develop close workplace friendships.
Studies show that workplace friendships are one of the strongest predictors of productivity and performance. People with social ties to one another outperform groups of mere acquaintances.
Teams with members who have friendships, who share on a personal level, and who socialize outside of work seek help when they need it, are motivated to work hard, have less burnout, and are more loyal to organizations.
Ideas to build friendships at work:
Touch base as a team with daily huddles and weekly team meetings to interact on a more personal level and learn what’s important to one another
Try to connect inside or outside of work (communicate ahead of time any time constraints such as childcare hours or a longer commute)
Connect over coffee (can be done in-person or virtual)
Have a walking meeting instead of sitting at your desk
Share a meal together
Create a shared experience such as participating in an event or activity including volunteer opportunities, orchard, winery, or happy hour with live music
2. Lead first with empathy, then with productivity.
Be regularly present and curious in your team members’ lives. Work to remember what others are interested in and engage with them. Seize these small daily opportunities to connect authentically. You may find commonality you didn’t realize you had, or you could learn something new—regardless, you’re building a relationship.
Yes, productivity is what makes a business successful, but by leading and managing with empathy, employees feel valued, connected, and dedicated. The community and productivity will naturally follow suit.
Ideas to do it:
Take the time to be genuinely curious during team meetings and one-on-one time
Have a standing appointment and honor that time together
Is a team member overwhelmed? Do they have a lot going on personally? Ask “how can I help you?” The answers are often within reach and can make the other person feel supported
3. Schedule a retreat (big or small).
A retreat allows for positive interactions among team members, builds morale, reduces turnover, and gives space to collaborate and conduct deep work.
A retreat doesn’t need to be lavish or expensive. Whether large or small, aim for a location different from your regular office space. Even a short retreat can pay dividends in establishing a renewed sense of purpose and motivation.
EPI recently returned from a rejuvenating team retreat that brought wonderful cohesion and learning. We were intentional and deliberate about how (and where) we spent our time. Click here to get ideas for planning a fulfilling retreat.
4. Incorporate atypical learning into your next team meeting.
Often a team meeting starts with a bland discussion about the weather or another surface-level topic. But what if you started the team meeting with a learning opportunity? Consider having a team member teach the group something that interests them. Do they love woodworking? Do they coach hockey on the side? Do they practice calligraphy?
Providing opportunities for employees to share stories about their lives, personal successes, and unique interests promotes bonding, learning, and personal development.
At our recent retreat, our team members taught us how to play a new card game, make chocolate truffles, practice yoga and meditation, and refresh our etiquette.
5. Seriously… have some FUN!
Having fun at work is sometimes thought to disrupt productivity, but research suggests it has a positive impact on creativity, engagement, collaboration, and retention.
Ideas to have more fun:
Celebrate birthdays and milestones
Organize challenges and friendly competitions
Invite a local food truck to cater lunch
Plan a surprise such as a lunch-hour comedian or live music
Send random care packages or notes
Create traditions with your coworkers
It’s critical that leaders and organizations rethink how they connect with employees—especially in hybrid or remote settings. Now is the time to start building a culture where people have a sense of belonging and community. Before you know it, you’ll reap the rewards of deeper team relationships, cohesion, and purposeful experiences that may prevent the negative business impacts of employee loneliness and isolation.