Team Building & Teamwork, culture tips, workplace happiness, Connectedness

The Easiest, No-Cost Activity Used to Build Team Connectedness

To create workplace happiness, one of the elements or levers we implement is connectedness. Having connectedness means that there is a meaningful sense of community within your team that supports honesty, respect, and psychological safety. Team members feel they can speak up with openness alongside the support of their team. To be honest, connectedness can be a foreign concept and some teams we meet feel they already have it [when they truly don’t].

In Delivering Happiness [the book], Tony Hsieh wrote how he wanted to hire people not just for skill but also for culture fit - someone you could work with but also enjoy hanging out with outside of work [not just work friends… but actual friends]. This thinking can help your business save and make more money in the long run.

According to Gallup, if 6 in 10 U.S employees had a best friend at work, organizations could realize 12% higher profit.

[Visit our ROI Calculator to realize more profits/savings with a happier culture.]

People, even the most introverted, really do want to create meaningful or personal, emotional connections [PECs] with others. In an age where it’s too easy to isolate yourself from face-to-face moments [staying home and watching Netflix, communicating only through social media or text, etc.], it remains true that positive social relationships play a part in employee engagement and our long-term health:

The probability of dying early is 70% higher for people with poor social relationships. To paint a more relevant picture, for smokers, it’s 50% higher.

So how can you re-ignite or begin creating connectedness in your company culture? Here’s one of our favorite, free activities you can start today:

The PEC Walk

At your next team meeting, assign two people to a pair and a number from 1-3 [different pairs can have the same number].

Before the next team meeting, each pair has meet to go for a 20-30 min walk [or go chat over coffee, fro-yo, donuts, etc.]. Ask the pair to tell you when they’re meeting so you can send them corresponding questions right before.

Our questions [feel free to make more!]:

1. Who has been the greatest influence in your life?

2. What is an adversity you faced that you are actually grateful for?

3. What do you wake up for every morning?

Your Reflection:

Throughout the progression of these walks, observe and note the responses to the following questions:

Were people apprehensive? Were people open to it?
Did the mood of your team change over the course of the week?
Without prompting, did people share their experience with others?

Team Reflection:

At your next meeting, take some time to discuss the following together:

How did it feel to connect on a personal level?
What surprised you? Would having more connectedness benefit the workplace?
Would you want to do it again with another person? What are a few other ideas to encourage more depth of connection at work?

Want to see how connectedness can translate to higher profits and productivity for your business?

About the Author

Briana Krueger

Bri is the Impact Storyteller on the Delivering Happiness team. Working previously as a freelancer, her goal has always been to work with passionate people who are focused on helping individuals and businesses find their purpose. As part of DH, she now gets to accomplish that every day. Bri resides in Arizona and is lucky enough to enjoy the sun all year round.