Connection and belonging is a core human need – it also builds a sense of wellbeing at work. A sense of connection to colleagues can help build workplace culture. This happens organically – hello, work wife concept – but the role of HR is uniquely placed to foster connection to build stronger relationships at work and stronger organisations overall.

One of the aspects of my work with HR professionals is removing the professional isolation they sometimes experience by the very nature of their roles. There’s immense value in building a supportive network of like minded professionals, and I love working with HR professionals to address the challenges in creating engaging communities of connection within large organisations, as these groups can enhance workplace culture and employee satisfaction. HR is where the magic happens and I love sharing my expertise and experience curated over many, many years and in many different organisations.

That said, in many businesses and organisations, the HR role is one that’s absorbed or incorporated into the day to day of business owners, CEOs or people in leadership, and so in my work with these people, I highlight and showcase the HR principles that can (and should!) guide their work with their people.

Like everything Unscripted HR, how to go about fostering communication and connection must embrace a tailored, personalised approach, not cookie cutter. What works in one organisation or one team might be a flop in another, but there are a number of principles or ideas that could be modified across a range of workplaces.

Starting from the top – leadership styles and executive presence will dictate the level of connection that is possible within a workplace. Connection requires trust. Beyond leadership, I believe it’s important to hire the right people across the board. People with technical expertise and skills to fill a specific role are important – of course they are – however don’t discount the importance of emotional intelligence and skills to bring people together. This is where a solid understanding of people’s strengths and communication style really comes into play.

Speaking of new hires – induction is where people can be made to feel welcome – or otherwise – so it’s important to get right as I wrote in this post.

Create opportunities for shared activities where people can get to know their colleagues on a deeper level. At work, this might look like joint committees or cross-portfolio meetings. After work, it might look like happy hours, or volunteering as a group to causes that align with the organisation’s values. It might involve sending groups of people to conferences or events, or it might be something like an organisation running club on an app like Strava.

Another bid for connection is celebrating personal and professional milestones, and regular team building that’s not just an annual event. For example, one of my clients includes storytelling in every weekly team meeting, where people share details about themselves in response to a prompt such as what’s a professional memory that’s shaping your work today, or what’s a gift in your personal life that’s never left you.

There are many ways to foster connection in the workplace. They’re an opportunity for HR professionals, leaders, CEOs and business owners to get creative and align activities to the individual characteristics of their people. If you’d like some support nutting out some ideas please reach out. I’d love to help!