7 ways to encourage connections to support employee unity and engagement
Connection and community in the workplace are no longer just nice to have, they’re essential in building a motivated, high-performing and loyal workforce.
But with a multigenerational UK workforce, hybrid and remote working and ever-changing employee expectations, we have an opportunity to consider new ways of driving unity among colleagues, beyond team building and social events.
It’s worth noting that connection at work goes beyond simply having good relationships with your colleagues. It’s about feeling valued and supported as an individual, having a shared sense of purpose and belonging, all while understanding your business’ mission, values and culture.
When employees have a genuine, emotional connection to colleagues and their employer, they’re more likely to experience high levels of engagement and, to put it simply, feel happier about work.
In this article, we’re going to explore seven practical ways to builder a stronger community and sense of connection in your workplace, and in doing so, boost long-term employee engagement.
1. Encourage everyday peer-to-peer recognition
Recognition that’s freely and regularly shared between colleagues builds a culture of everyday appreciation where everyone has endless opportunities to feel seen by their teammates.
The inclusivity of peer-to-peer recognition, especially when facilitated through an online tool and part of a wider recognition programme, allows appreciation to be timely, consistent and inclusive, with no reliance on top-down input.
The result is everyday moments of recognition and connection that reinforce team bonds and create a cohesive, supportive environment.
When employees feel this consistent sense of support and camaraderie from their colleagues, they’ll likely feel happier, more motivated and loyal to your business.
2. Celebrate big and small milestones
Building personal connections and a community at work is about embracing people for their whole selves, not just their contributions to the business. That’s why recognising professional and personal milestones at work is important.
Those special moments matter to your people, so they should matter to your business too. Significant events like birthdays, work anniversaries and other key moments your employees experience deserve to be celebrated.
Regularly acknowledging these events will help individuals feel like they’re part of a community where everyone matters beyond their job titles.
3. Empower managers to be recognition heroes
With over half of employees stating that regular recognition from managers boosts their morale and engagement, there’s an opportunity for businesses to utilise the power of managerial recognition to further enhance team bonds.
By equipping your people leaders with the tools to recognise their team regularly and authentically, you’ll help reinforce a culture of belonging and shared purpose.
4. Align recognition with company values
In successful, highly engaged businesses, all employees are working towards the same goal, underpinned by a clear mission and core set of beliefs.
The key here is understanding – employees need to truly get what the business is trying to achieve and adopt the behaviours that the business expects the workforce to live and breathe.
By aligning employee recognition to your business’ company values, you’ll reinforce these key behaviours and ways of working every day. Employees will see clear examples of these values in practice and understand how their actions contribute to a bigger picture.
This builds a sense of shared purpose that unites team members and highlights the point that everyone can – and does – play an active role in driving your business forward.
5. Make recognition visible
Behind-the-scenes recognition between two people or an individual team is personal and impactful but, when it’s shared with the rest of the business, the boost is amplified and unites team members.
For the individuals recognised, they get the boost of knowing that their achievement has been seen by colleagues across the business which elevates their presence as an individual within a bigger team.
For colleagues that witness these recognition moments, they get ongoing visibility of the various acts of brilliance and achievements that are being displayed, helping them feel connected to the rest of the business.
6. Create shared experiences
Employees need the right environment to build genuine connections at work. When colleagues have great memories and funny anecdotes from the moments they’ve shared, they’re likely to have stronger emotional bonds and genuine friendships that exist beyond their working relationships.
Your business can make these shared experiences happen by adding regular social events to the calendar, arranging team building activities, celebrating employee’s personal and professional milestones and building workplace rituals that are designed to bring people together.
7. Favour free-flowing, open communication
With so many remote and hybrid businesses now, it’s become harder to make the workforce feel like a community, with many workplaces falling into siloed working, ambiguous communication and gossip cultures.
But that doesn’t have to be the case. By fostering openness and transparency in your internal communications, you’ll demonstrate trust in employees, helping individuals feel valued and connected.
Beyond that, giving employees access to a space where they can freely read company updates, find out about upcoming events, witness the great work happening across the business and, importantly, interact with colleagues will build a virtual community that exists beyond any physical workspace so everyone can feel connected.
Boostworks’ research has revealed that 70% of employees strive for emotional connection, demonstrating that, despite the challenges of modern working, people are looking beyond rewards and benefits when comparing employers, they’re looking for something deeper and more meaningful to attract and retain them.
Supplied by REBA Associate Member, Boostworks
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