Abela & Co.

Anuja Rungachary

There’s nothing better than getting to know someone over a hot cup of coffee! Sitting down in a café, taking a walk while stretching away from your desk, or even having a passing water cooler conversation with a colleague. But the pandemic took all that away from us. Companies are now finding new ways to get their employees to reconnect and bring them back to the office full-time.

As HR Leaders, we need to support employees in re-building connections as they move back into onsite work by creating opportunities, providing tools to engage and having ongoing conversations.

Creating Opportunities

When you have employees coming back to work onsite, you need to create enough opportunities for them to come together and work as a group or team. This is not a new aspect of onsite work, but it needs reiteration and you cannot leave it up to chance. Not allowing virtual meetings for staff working in the same office locations is a good start. If you’re all in the office, the discussion has to be face-to-face! Having informal break-out areas that are not set up like a typical conference room is also a great motivator to get employees away from their desks. Such spaces inspire and encourage employees to break away from the monotony of working in silos. For companies still providing work from home or remote work, it helps to define fixed days for onsite work, so the entire workforce is in the office on the same days consistently. Consistency is the key to setting new habits and creating acceptance towards voluntary teamwork.

Providing Tools

First of all, set extremely clear parameters and expectations around working with others. Making sure all your employees have the space, technology and autonomy to build connections at work, is the next step. Managers must be open to unconventional ways of working together and they must encourage innovation. Conducting employee engagement activities works as a great ice-breaker and helps people feel comfortable immediately. Proactive employees that are willing to work with others must be used as people champions to guide and motivate others to team up. Such people champions must be celebrated and rewarded, to condition their behavior and inspire others. In addition to this, the IT department must also provide the necessary access, infrastructure and connectivity to make teamwork quick and easily executable. Allowing for breakaway meetings at the café downstairs, or staff having a working lunch in the cafeteria are all simple ways to condition behavior. Providing Employee Assistance Programs at work also helps people settle into working from the office while adjusting to post-pandemic work culture.

"Leaders can and must lead the way by setting an example of collaborating openly"

Ongoing Conversations

The importance of face-to-face interactions in the post-pandemic work environment needs to be addressed repeatedly and discussed openly. Let employees understand that this is a conscious effort and highlight its benefits; like increased productivity, better engagement at work, personal growth and development as well as a sense of community & inclusion!

Leaders can and must lead the way by setting an example of collaborating openly. Listening keenly and having honest conversations about Employees' well-being, mental health and emotional intelligence will also encourage people to discuss both professional and personal challenges. It always helps if employees feel comfortable enough to share their personal views and challenges as well while at work with managers and colleagues. Creating a safe space for employees to share their ideas, big or small, without fear of mockery or judgement is also crucial to encourage employees to open up.

Lastly, let’s not take empathy out of the equation. It is one of the most important elements of human emotions that employees look for in their leaders and company culture. Empathy creates a transparent, communicative environment that can build trust and effective dialogue between peers, which helps you develop better relationships at work.

Do you have the right tools and emphasis for encouraging collaboration in the workplace?