Employee networking encourages collaboration, innovation and engagement
Networks, formal or informal, lead people to collaborate, share ideas and knowledge and work together, even if they are not assigned to. Employees may even network with peers outside of their organisation for best practices, recommendations and advice. By providing and supporting your employees’ networking activities, companies benefit from more collaboration, innovation, engagement and business success. So where do you start?
Provide company-sponsored networking activities
When employees see their organisations formally support networking activities, they know their company is committed to helping them grow and develop. By having networking and relationship building activities during work hours, it allows all employees to participate and shows the company prioritises this social connection. Employees are 106 per cent more likely to have a sense of opportunity for career advancement when their organisations provide opportunities at work to build relationships and connect.
Encourage cross-departmental projects and involve employees in special projects. This gives employees access to leaders and peers they normally don’t interact with. Leaders can also support longer lunch breaks for offsite meals or scheduled break times for mid-afternoon socialising. Open spaces for collaboration and meet ups provide places for employees to network and exchange ideas. Frequent one-on-ones help leaders check in to see how employees are connecting with others.
Give recognition publicly
When employees do great work, they want the world to know it. Public recognition can be a great networking tool. It gives the entire organisation visibility into the contributions and achievements a team member has made. It allows other leaders to be aware of an employee’s work and inspires peers. Be sure to include people outside their immediate team/department in a public presentation of recognition, or broadcast the individual’s achievement in company meetings, newsletters, on the intranet, or on shared screens in public workspaces. When recognition is not communicated well and not a priority for an organisation, employees are 38 per cent less likely to feel appreciated.
Formalise mentorship programs
Create formal mentorship programs and offer it to all employees, not just top performers. Ensure they are cross-functional and cross-departmental so employees can learn from and be exposed to new areas and knowledge centres. This broadens their perspective on how they can (and do) contribute, helps them see the impact their work has on others, and reveals new ways to improve.
Companies that provide mentorship to all employees, not just top performers, have employees who are:
• 72 per cent more likely to believe their organisation allows all employees to grow, not just favourites
• 66 per cent more likely to believe their organisation provides an opportunity for career advancement
• 30 per cent more likely to believe they help influence important decisions at work
• 56 per cent more likely to say they learn new and valuable things in their current role
Using technology to “connect” - a word of caution
With a plethora of apps and tools out there to connect, it’s easy to rely on technology for social interactions. But it is crucial to use social tools appropriately. They should be there to facilitate and enhance human connection, not replace it. It’s great to have company or department social media pages on Facebook, Chatter, Slack etc., but also promote in-person interactions. Use video chats and virtual meetings to network across offices, and use your communication apps to schedule face-to-face meetings and social activities. Technology can be a great connecter, as long as it’s not the only way your people are connecting.
To learn more about how networking and mentorship build a strong company culture, read our 2018 Global Culture Report.
This article is provided by O.C.Tanner.
In partnership with O. C. Tanner
Giving teams the integrated tools they need when, where and how they need them.
