Hi, everyone, 

It’s normal to want friends at work. In fact, it can be crucial to your career success. According to this Gallup survey, having friends at work can make you up to seven times more likely to be engaged in your job.

THE LANGUAGE OF LEADERSHIP

Why? Because humans are social beings. We thrive when we depend on and support one another. If you’ve been lucky enough to have someone you love working with, you know what a difference it can make having the support of colleagues as you navigate professional and personal ups and downs. In short, having friends at work creates a sense of belonging which leads to more joy and fulfillment.

THE WEEKLY FLOURISH

With that in mind, it’s important for leaders to constantly be thinking about how they can help their team members have more connection, especially while we work remotely. Today, we’re sharing a few of our fave tips, which we encourage to customize based on what feels best for your team. 

 Use ice breakers: Give people a chance to get to know each other. Making time for small talk in meetings can help people learn more about each other to start to build connections. I love using the polls function on Zoom and asking fun questions like...

• What are your go-to quarantine snacks?

          A) Salty B) Sweet C) Wine
 

• What’s your favorite part of WFH?

          A) No commute B) Sweatpants C) My dog is my coworker

• Which superpower would you like to have?

          A) Mind reader B) Invisibility C) Teleportation

Carve out a dedicated non-work chat channel: Whether it’s #gratitude or #netflixshows, it’s essential to recreate the feeling of “watercooler chat” which can help employees get to know one another’s values and interests beyond the logistics of their jobs. 

Create a common language: Strengths-Based Development is a great way to build connection and rapport on your team. Not only will it give your employees the vocabulary to advocate for themselves, they’ll be able to seek out complementary partners which can improve collaboration and allow friendships to blossom organically. Want to learn more about the power of strengths? This post can help. 

GREATNESS TAKES GUIDANCE

 Looking for techniques to build trust, boost connection, and increase engagement on your team? Then be sure to book a call to learn more about Activate, which has specifically been designed to help managers seamlessly create plenty of “ah, we’re all in this together” moments.  

Do you have a best friend at work? What benefits do you see from these relationships? Write back and tell us how your friendships improve your wellbeing at work.

P.S. Have a best friend who would love this email? Send it their way! 

—Carrie and Team Leadology