People stay in jobs they don’t like because they have a friend there. Team members do more for managers they feel connected to. Colleagues have each other’s backs when they feel connected. Staff understand difficult decisions of senior managers they feel connected with.
Most organisations don’t understand connection yet. They want engagement (to work), not connection (to people). Most organisations get connection by accident, because people are stuck in the same place. Not so much today.
Connection is a long term game and easy to miss. But right now, whether you know it or not, connection is your number one priority – more important than productivity, more important than tracking hours in front of screen, more important than ticking boxes.
Imagine your team, looking each other in the eye, with knowing smiles. Connected. Good employee experiences don’t happen by accident – they have to be designed.
What was a defining moment where you felt connected with your colleagues at work?