Over the past two years, a lot has changed about how we all work and communicate. Many of us have benefitted from the freedom found in working from home. But one downside to remote work is that connection with our teams and coworkers has taken a backseat to Zoom meetings and Slack channels. Social interaction has dropped significantly in this work from home environment leaving employees feeling disconnected and struggling with motivation. No more chatting with your employees in the elevator. No more birthday cake for all the March birthdays. No more free snacks for team meetings. Leaders aren’t able to check in with employees on a whim to see how they are doing, personally. Or connect with their team a few minutes a day while passing each other in the office. Or hear about the latest happy hour plans by the coffee. These moments are vital to creating connection. And connection is the glue to employee engagement and loyalty. With all of these shifts to how we work, one new habit for leaders to prioritize is: make connection a priority in 2022.
So, how do you make connection a priority??
Dedicate a portion of each meeting to personal talk
If someone is out sick, check on them
Share with your team what you are up to and what’s going on in your life
Make sure to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, even if you can’t have cake together in person
Create a culture of quick calls instead of the instant message or email
If you spend time developing this habit, you’ll have your finger on the pulse of your team and by default will be able to lead more powerfully. Your employees will also have greater job satisfaction because they feel like you truly care about their well-being - and that they are more connected to others outside of their home too.
Nicole Johnson-Scales is the WeInspireWe Authenticity Coach. With over two decades of corporate leadership experience, Nicole's heart and passion are in empowering her clients to step into their greatest success in the most authentic way - becoming high-impact leaders within their industries. Whether starting a new role or positioning yourself to rise to your next level leadership, Nicole will work closely with you to empower your leadership while designing a powerful strategy that leverages your strengths and talents, builds your confidence, and inspires courage along the way. Click here to learn more about Nicole and to book a free strategy session to see how you can navigate your authenticity in a powerful way.