In the fast-paced, ever-evolving landscape of the modern workplace, the importance of employee connections and team member connections cannot be overstated. These connections play a pivotal role in facilitating engagement, which, in turn, contributes significantly to individual and organizational growth.
Blueboard found “85% of HR professionals strongly agree that it’s important for employees to feel connected at work and 77% of employees agree that they want to work at an organization where they feel connected to the purpose and the people.”
In this article, we will explore the profound significance of employee and team member connections, how mentoring can enable these stronger bonds and highlight which formats create a supportive and enriching environment.
The Employee Connection Gap
Employees are lonely and isolated at work today in part because virtual work technology has focused on transactions and not on relationships.
Developing relationships in a virtual and distributed workplace is hard. Today, we spend an estimated 30% of our time in meetings mostly over video. We tend to talk to the same people over and over again. We might start the call with a quick check-in about the weather or our weekend and then dive into the agenda. We are spending time together, but not really connecting. This isn’t great for mental health or enabling people to feel a sense of belonging – and it isn’t great for employee retention either.
A lack of connection leaves us feeling siloed, disjointed, and disengaged at work. And standard employee resources, work environments, and employee benefits don’t necessarily translate to hybrid and remote workplaces.
We have built the current virtual workplace for two things:
- To optimize workflow management
- To distribute information efficiently
These may remove friction in relationships but are not connection builders. If these are the only ways we interact with people, we fail to connect with people even if we spend time interacting with them. As Stanford’s Chip and Dan Heath write in The Power of Moments, connection is built on the feelings of warmth, unity, empathy and validation. It is about feelings, not about transactions.
To begin addressing this fundamental lack of employee connection at work, we can begin with defining what exactly “employee connection” means.
What is Employee Connection?
Employee connection is social capital – the goodwill and trust between people. It it one of the most critical assets of a company.
Employee connection is the bond built between people based on trust. This bond can be built through caring: demonstrating that someone is looking out for their best interests. This is critical to building connections within workgroups with a high level of dependency that spend significant time together. For relationships with less interaction and dependency, we rely more on trust built from confidence in the competence of someone to feel connected.
Employee connection builds social capital within teams and across organizations. It builds a network of trust and information sharing that enables groups to move more quickly because there is a foundation of trust. It is critical to building agility and engagement. Connection is one of the most valuable assets for high-performing organizations.
Why Should Companies Build Employee Connections?
Companies should prioritize building employee connections for several compelling reasons that ultimately contribute to the organization’s success and growth:
1. Builds Trust and Rapport
Employee connections serve as the cornerstone of successful mentoring relationships. Trust and rapport are essential elements in any organization, and they are built through open communication, shared experiences, and a sense of camaraderie. When employees feel connected to their peers, they are more likely to trust their employers and leaders, and engage in meaningful conversations.
2. Creates a Supportive Environment
A strong sense of connection within a team fosters a supportive environment where engagement and productivity can thrive. In such an atmosphere, employees feel comfortable seeking guidance and leaders and managers are more willing to share their knowledge and experiences. This collaborative spirit leads to a more effective workflow.
3. Enhances Knowledge Sharing
Employee connections enable the seamless exchange of knowledge. Within a well-connected team, information flows freely, allowing people to access a wealth of expertise from multiple sources. This diversity in perspectives enriches the working experience and ensures employees receive a well-rounded education.
Employee Connections: The Catalyst for Organizational Success
Connecting employees and team members is vital to building a cohesive, engaged, and high-performing workforce that propels an organization toward its goals and aspirations.
Breaks Down Silos
In many organizations, departments or teams can become isolated from one another, leading to information silos and missed opportunities for learning. Strong employee connections bridge these gaps, enabling the exchange of knowledge across different parts of the organization. This interconnectedness promotes a holistic approach to work, where employees can draw from a wide pool of expertise.
Boosts Engagement and Retention
Employees who feel connected to their colleagues and organization are more engaged and tend to stay with the company longer. When mentoring is integrated into the workplace culture through these connections, it contributes to higher job satisfaction and retention rates. Employees are more likely to remain committed to their development and the organization when they feel supported by their peers in development and connectivity.
Drives Personal and Professional Growth
Employee connections facilitate discussions on both personal and professional challenges, helping employees navigate the complexities of work-life balance, stress management, and personal development. Employee connections can mean people have friends at work, a boss that cares about them or a colleague that enables their growth. This drives benefits for the organization as a whole.
Three Ways To Build Employee Connection
Different types of relationships require different approaches. You, therefore, need a strategy for each of the three types of connection.
There are three ways to build connections in an organization.
- 1:1 connection between teammates
- 1:1 connection between teams
- Many-to-many connection across a team.
1:1 Connection Between Teammates
Connection and trust are built between individuals on a work team by demonstrating caring. The best way to build this connection is through what psychologist Harry Reis calls responsiveness. Responsiveness is built through mutual understanding, validation, and caring. This is created through meaningful conversations – interactions where two people mutually disclose stories and challenges and use active listening to ensure the other person feels they care and are validated.
These are peer coaching conversations and follow the key tenets of coaching: active listening, avoiding advice, and accountability.
1:1 Connection Between Teams
To build boundary spanning connections, the most difficult to build virtually, employers need to start by building connections between individuals that span those boundaries. You should begin by building a sense of belonging between two people by connecting them through something they have in common. This is typically done through programs like manager training (all managers), onboarding (new employees) or affinity groups (shared interest/identity). It can also be done by connecting people one-on-one based on what they share in common.
Introductions, however, are not enough. As our research at Imperative has found, leaders also need to provide the place and skills to engage in the coaching-style conversations that build actual feelings of connection. Research shows that these coaching connections should be focused on problem-solving and demonstrating competence which builds trust with boundary-spanning relationships.
Many-to-Many Connection Across a Team
Groups build connections between each other on a one-on-one basis and as a collective through shared experiences, challenges and purpose. Leaders need to design their weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual team interactions to intentionally build in moments for shared experiences, challenges, and purpose.
Shared Experiences: One of the greatest challenges in hybrid work is to create moments of what scientists call synchronicity. When members of a team all experience or do something at the same time, it creates a sense of connection. We increasingly work asynchronously and while this increases flexibility, it hurts the feeling of connection. This is not about a status meeting – it is about everyone actually accomplishing something or experiencing something meaningful together.
Shared Challenges: Teams feel connected when they share a struggle – a mountain to climb. When a team is just doing a steady drumbeat of consistent work, we feel less connected. When we are pushed together to a new level and succeed, it bonds us and forms a shared identity. This can be a big hairy audacious goal, covering for the parental leave of a teammate, or overcoming a setback.
Shared Purpose: When a team is clear on the “why” behind their goals and sees how their work enables the achievement of those goals, it binds them together. Leaders need to ensure the team has a clear purpose and that everyone knows how their work is critical to success. Championship sports teams and high-performing emergency room teams are great examples of creating connection through shared purpose.
Key Barriers to Connection at Work
Companies have failed to build the infrastructure to enable connection which is exacerbated in remote and hybrid workplaces.
Many leaders assume relationships and connections happen organically, but Imperative’s 2022 study of the workplace proves that people face significant barriers. Despite spending over two hours per week developing relationships, people struggle with who, how, and where to build relationships. And they lack the psychological safety to initiate relationships at work.
87% of people would be willing to invest more time in relationship building, an average 2.5 hours per week. The core challenge is that they are not getting the support they need from their organization to use their time effectively.
Employers have built the infrastructure to support workflow and information sharing but have not invested in the technology to build social capital, the asset created through connection.
The Role of Mentoring in Driving Team Member Connections
Connections between team members is a critical aspect of fostering professional growth and creating a supportive learning environment within organizations.
Collective Learning
Teams that foster strong connections among members often engage in collective learning. This approach encourages the sharing of best practices, lessons learned, and innovative ideas. In a mentoring context, this collective learning benefits both mentors and mentees by exposing them to a broader spectrum of knowledge.
Social Interaction and Workplace Friendships
Mentoring relationships require consistent and meaningful interaction. Mentors and mentees meet regularly to discuss progress, challenges, and strategies for development. These interactions naturally lead to conversations beyond the specific mentoring topics, allowing individuals to get to know each other on a personal level. In fact, Gallup found that having close work friendships can boost employee satisfaction by 50 percent, and those employees are seven times more likely to fully engage in their work.
Mentors offer guidance, share experiences, and provide constructive feedback. As mentees experience this support, they often develop a sense of trust and appreciation for their mentors, strengthening the mentor-mentee bond.
Increased Accountability
Employee connections also play a role in holding mentees accountable for their growth. When colleagues are aware of a mentee’s goals and development plan, they can provide support and encouragement, helping the mentee stay on track. This accountability fosters a sense of responsibility and motivation in mentees.
What Types of Mentoring Enable Better Employee Connections?
We offer three distinct approaches that organizations can employ to strengthen employee connections within their workforce, each offering unique benefits and opportunities for fostering a sense of camaraderie and support among colleagues.
Peer Mentoring
Peer mentoring, where colleagues support and guide each other, is a powerful tool for building team member connections. In this dynamic, employees often have more in common with their peers than with higher-level mentors, making the relationship more relatable and approachable. Peer mentors share similar experiences and challenges, which fosters empathy and understanding. This shared ground creates a unique bond, promoting not only professional growth but also the development of lasting friendships within the workplace.
Group Mentoring
Group mentoring initiatives bring together a mentor and multiple mentees, creating a collaborative environment that strengthens employee connections. Within these groups, mentees not only benefit from the mentor’s expertise but also from the diverse perspectives of their peers. Group discussions encourage active engagement, shared problem-solving, and the exchange of different ideas. As employees interact and learn from one another, they form deeper connections, bridging gaps between departments and teams.
Buddy Programs
Buddy programs pair employees, often new hires, with experienced colleagues who serve as mentors or buddies. These one-on-one connections play a crucial role in acclimating new employees to the company culture and work environment. Buddies provide guidance, answer questions, and offer emotional support, helping newcomers feel welcomed and integrated into the organization. Over time, these relationships can evolve into lasting friendships, as buddies and mentees share their experiences, challenges, and successes. This personal connection helps employees feel more connected to the company and their peers, boosting overall morale and job satisfaction.
Want to learn about other mentoring formats companies are using to drive connectivity? Read our 5 Types of Mentoring Companies Use in the Workplace Guide.
The Mentor-Mentee Bond: Strengthening Employee Connections
Mentor/mentee interactions can range from casual chats about work-related matters to discussions about personal interests and experiences. These moments of informal connection contribute significantly to the development of rapport and employee connections.
Emotional Support
Employee and team member connections provide a network of emotional support for both mentors and mentees. Mentoring can be a rewarding but challenging endeavor. Having colleagues who understand and empathize with the mentor’s experiences and mentee’s challenges can make the journey more manageable.
Knowledge Transfer
Effective mentoring relies on the transfer of knowledge and experience. Within a connected team, mentors can draw upon the collective wisdom of their colleagues to provide well-rounded guidance. This dynamic approach ensures that mentees receive a comprehensive education.
Long-term Success
Mentoring is not a one-time event; it’s a continuous process that evolves over time. Employee and team member connections help mentors and mentees sustain their relationships beyond formal mentoring programs. These enduring bonds lead to long-term success, as mentors continue to provide guidance and mentees grow into valuable contributors to the organization.
Conclusion: Nurturing Employee Connections for a Brighter Future
In today’s dynamic work environment, employee and team member connections are invaluable assets for organizations seeking to cultivate a culture of mentoring and continuous learning. These connections create the fertile ground in which mentoring relationships can thrive, offering benefits that extend far beyond the mentorship itself.
By fostering trust, creating supportive environments, and promoting knowledge sharing, employee connections lay the foundation for successful organizations. Team member connections further enhance this process by enabling collective learning, workplace friendships and increased accountability.
The mentor-mentee bond, strengthened by these connections, becomes a powerful force for personal and professional growth. As organizations recognize the profound impact of employee and team connections on mentoring, they can unlock the full potential of their workforce, driving innovation, retention, and long-term success. In the end, nurturing these connections is not just an investment in individuals but a commitment to a brighter future for the entire organization.
