How to Build Better Relationships at Work
Workplace connection doesn't have to feel overwhelming. Try this at your next team meeting.
The great shift to hybrid work, while great for flexibility and well-being (let’s be honest, no one likes spending an hour of their day commuting!) has also ushered in some of the highest rates of disconnection and disengagement ever recorded at work. People love working from home, but they also miss seeing their coworkers and connecting more deeply with their team. We also know from the research that employees who have a best friend at work are seven times more engaged in their job, and that if you do not have a close friend at work, there’s only a one in twelve chance that you’ll be engaged at work.
One way to build deeper relationships at work is to start your next meeting with a personal share.
Instead of trying to add team building time to an already packed schedule of wall-to-wall Zoom meetings, build personal connection time into your existing meetings. Spending five or ten minutes, or even just one minute connecting, allows us to learn new things about ourselves and our colleagues. It disrupts day-to-day busywork and helps us discover what our colleagues are experiencing in their lives.
Here are few prompts to get you started:
Did you do anything exciting this weekend?
Have you discovered a show or podcast you originally thought was lame but turns out is awesome?
What’s the last lesson your child or a family member taught you?
Is there anything happening in your world that the rest of us should know about?
What’s a small win you’ve had recently that we haven’t celebrated yet?
Who is someone you’re grateful for this week and why?
If someone isn’t interested in sharing or talking about their personal life at work, that’s totally cool, they can simply opt-out and pass. But they don’t get to create a culture where others don’t get to share either.
These quick personal shares at the start of a meeting can go a long way toward building vulnerability, creating new connections, and deepening workplace friendships.
Take Action: Before your next in-person or virtual team meeting, come up with a personal prompt to ask your team at the start of the meeting. Moving forward, a different person can pick the prompt, so you’re hearing from different voices and making your meetings more interesting and inclusive. Workplace connection doesn’t have to feel boring or overwhelming! So many people meet their future best friend, boss, mentor, cofounder, or collaborator, and it all starts with having an interesting conversation.
Note: I originally published this post in my friend Logan Ury’s newsletter, Logan’s Love Letter. Logan is a behavioral scientist turned dating and relationships coach, and author of the fantastic book, How To Not Die Alone.
Upcoming Keynote: Responsive Conference
I’ve had some exciting talks this year at incredible organizations like Mayo Clinic, Prudential, Fidelity, Charles Schwab, Morgan Stanley, DMC Network, Entrepreneurs’ Organization, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
I’m so excited to be giving the opening keynote at Responsive Conference on The Power of Human Connection. Responsive Conference is an immersive 2-day experience for CHROs and People Leaders held at Oakland Museum of California September 18-19, 2024. Other speakers include HR leaders, culture pioneers, and human connection experts like Carole Robin, Y-Vonne Hutchinson, Jenny Sauer-Klein, Gayle Karen Young Whyte, Anne Raimondi, and Adam Rosendahl.
Hope to see you at Responsive Conference; use promo code “smiley” for a discount.
New Podcast: Embracing Human Connection in a Tech-Driven World
I was recently interviewed on the Culture Conversations podcast. There are few people I love chatting with more about workplace culture and human connection than Craig Forman, founder of CultureC Consulting and the former Lead People Scientist at Culture Amp. In this episode, Craig and I talk about:
1️⃣ The critical need to prioritize human connection in the workplace, especially as hybrid work and AI technology continue to evolve.
2️⃣ The balance between flexibility and connection, and how organizations and individuals can take responsibility for fostering meaningful relationships.
3️⃣ The power of autonomy and ownership in driving innovation and change within teams.
4️⃣ The potential and ethical considerations of AI in enhancing our work while reinvesting saved time into our people.
5️⃣ The evolving nature of workplace culture and the necessity of adapting our approaches to meet the needs of our teams.
Thank you for spreading human connection at work and beyond!
-Smiley :)