Do you remember when you were productive and happy in your workplace while having terrible relationships with your colleagues? No?
Exactly. Many companies tend to overlook the importance of building a harmonious working environment first. They neglect their employees' rapport, creating a lifeless atmosphere in the office, which might soon impact overall success.
The absence of socialization and connection between workmates translates to a disengaged workforce. Such inadequacy is also linked to unproductiveness, higher rates of absenteeism, and office accidents, to name a few.
J.K Harter and Colleagues performed a study that showed well-engaged employees have a 51% productivity rate more than those employees who are not.
Moreover, employees with proper communication contribute to a more engaging and satisfying work environment.
As a corporate leader, it is your job to recognize areas of your organization that needed improvement and act accordingly. One of the pressing issues to address for optimal functioning is the employees' relationships with one another. This seemingly small but pivotal aspect can significantly affect your business turnout. Lucky for you, building that sense of community in the workplace isn't that hard. There are tangible and practical ways to achieve this.
For a better running workforce, there are times when companies would launch events that draw everyone together. Then and there, more employees would get acquainted, and that would hopefully bring the kind of engagement they hoped for.
Here are five ways to make your employees meet each other.
Orientations
Get everyone on the same page. Your company has its own goals, ambitions, and values. Let this be known to the team.
Holding orientations, a calibration, a brand update, or whatever you want to call it, is a fundamental step in building a united front.
For newcomers, it is a way for them to receive a warm welcome from long-time employees. This stage is where they start building relationships as recognized peers and colleagues.
Here, they will understand that they are on the same team, and they would need to work together towards a common goal.
This meeting will help them adjust according to the company's needs and grow together. Events like these also prompt socializing and make it inevitable.
Pantries And Other Common Places
We spend so much of our time at work that you could call it your home away from home. It is fitting because we also have our work family. And what is a core practice that brings families closer? — it's having meals together.
This is a simple, inexpensive, but effective way to bring everyone together in a relaxed environment where they can bond, talk, and share food. As such, pantries must provide a friendly space where everyone could meet new faces from other departments. Given that eating comes naturally to people, this way is less of a hassle and can be done frequently with minimal effort.
Apart from pantries, another familiar place companies have for their employees is the recreation lounge. Those who want to spend the rest of their lunch break entertaining themselves can use these facilities. This way, people meet others who have the same interest as theirs.
Work-focused social media platforms like Yammer are excellent virtual spaces. They're perfect alternatives for these entertainment hubs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone can join groups of various interests, create content, and share stories.
Outings And Celebrations
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”
Trust me, the last thing you want is an unenthusiastic, overworked employee. One way to ensure that the lives of your staff aren't as boring is to hold outings and celebrations now and then.
Having after-work gatherings can help relieve stress as it allows employees to unwind and regroup. Being able to spend time with your colleagues outside of work is also a great indicator of friendship. Celebrating occasions in the office, such as birthdays, company victories, and personal achievements is also a great way to let staff socialize.
It also wouldn't hurt to go on trips that aren't business-related. Outings like these pay for themselves. You get to reward your employees' hard work, and in turn, you get better performance from your staff.
Lastly, the good old company retreat.
Realigning employees with company values and letting them get in touch with their own is an incredibly effective way to let them recalibrate. Work-life can get overwhelming, and it's easy for one to get consumed by it and forget their well-being. Retreats allow employees to heal together. They get to meet each other in a peaceful and refreshed state which can only strengthen their bond.
Platforms for Quality Communication
In this digital age, not maximizing the innovative tools and gadgets that make life easier is unwise and inefficient. We live in an abundance of technology that caters to almost everything — might as well capitalize on it.
Aside from the usual productivity and work-centered apps, it's good to invest in establishing a quality platform for communication and networking such as Meetaway.
This tool allows one-on-one and many-to-many video conversations. One can use Meetaway to host a virtual event and let attendees meet others as they get matched.
Alumni, professionals, entrepreneurs, and speakers have used Meetaway at their conferences, and this would also be suitable for companies who want to enhance their workforce's rapport.
Implementing a platform specifically for this will not only significantly improve the atmosphere in the workplace but will also lead to the organization's success.
Author Bio:
Angelo Chongco is a content writer for business networking events, online courses, virtual reality, and cybersecurity. He also loves to travel and back float under the Boracay sun!