Community at Work Matters

Coming out of a global pandemic is a weird process. Every time I go to use the term “post-pandemic” I always think to myself - are we ‘post’? Are we beyond ‘post’? Who decides when all of this is just done? I suppose it’s a personal thing… there’s definitely been no definitive decision on when exactly the ‘post’ starts or ends. But there are parts of our lives that still feel a bit off. Regardless of your beliefs around the pandemic itself - we all know that going through that process shifted things - and one of the biggest shifts I think has been within the workplace. 

Every workplace has really been on their own journey. No two workplaces responded to the pandemic in the same way, everyone’s ‘return to work’ plans have looked different, and every workplace's willingness to learn from this period of time has been different. But one thing that seems to be common across the board is that no workplace is simply back to ‘business as usual’. Most places had to make big changes during the pandemic and it doesn’t seem like anyone has gone back without some sort of lasting effect. Most importantly, as a result of the many changes we’ve all gone through,  the sense of community that we used to feel in the workplace doesn’t exist like it used to. 

We all felt it during the height of the pandemic - we all experienced shrunken circles, greater isolation, distance from those we care about, and fractures in relationships and trust. I personally feel that we all got just a little bit weird. And I say this with love! But when you’re being forced by your government to maintain 6ft from all people except the chosen ones in your circle it’s bound to make you a tad weird around other people. 

But here’s the thing - that weirdness? It doesn’t shut off when you arrive at work. I say this every time I work with a company or organization - we bring our whole selves to work - weirdness and all. 

We don’t really know how to be around one another, we’ve forgotten how to connect and collaborate and for a lot of people - they just don’t want to. Some people have gotten very used to working at home, away from others, just doing their own thing in their own time. 

I am sure there are some folks who are able to jump right back in as if nothing has changed. But many have found it difficult to cope. And this ‘weirdness’ is even more prevalent for folks that started new roles during the pandemic. People who started new roles didn’t have pre-existing relationships to go back to and starting remotely makes it hard to get to know people, and get to know the work culture. 

Community in the workplace is so important, now more than ever before. Whether you’re looking to entice people to come back to the office or you’re just looking to retain the staff you have, you have to prioritize community. Community is where we feel connected to mission. It is where we can be our most authentic selves, and our authentic selves are where our talents and gifts live. 

Global pandemic aside, the workforce has been changing in a big way. Millennials and younger generations expect more out of their workplace. When we spend the majority of our time and effort working for someone else we need to get something out of it, and I’m not talking about a paycheque. We want opportunity, growth, and yes community. You can get a paycheque anywhere - but people are looking for a sense of belonging at the place they spend all day every day - even if remotely. They want to connect with the values and feel valued themselves. 

(And before you roll your eyes and suggest that millennials and younger gens are ‘entitled’ consider the fact that if the only thing keeping your staff at your company/org is a paycheque, they can absolutely find that elsewhere. Gone are the days that folks land a job and stay in one place their entire careers. But rather than holding your breath waiting for your staff to hand in that resignation letter, consider how you might be able to up the ante at your workplace with non-financial rewards… like *gasp* a community to feel connected to.)

In addition to generational shifts, our workplaces are becoming more and more diverse. And as we shift away from this concept of ‘culture fit’ and toward the idea of ‘culture add’, workplace relationships are not likely to happen as organically as we may have experienced in the past. 

So what does this mean? It means we need to be more intentional about how we develop, grow and strengthen a sense of community in our workplaces. We need to actually pull our mission and values off the pages of our policy handbooks and consider how we might live those values in our everyday work. How are we designing opportunities for people to feel as though they are part of the bigger picture, and how are we nurturing relationships amongst colleagues?

Studies have shown that workplaces without a positive sense of community experience high turnover rates, low employee morale, and unnecessary workplace drama, gossip, and power struggle. If we want productive, innovative and effective workplaces where employees want to stay and grow within, we have to create a sense of belonging. Better work happens when we can truly collaborate, and collaboration requires community, it requires trust, it requires a workplace where people feel connected - to each other and to the work. This goes beyond what your traditional social committee or diversity statements can do. It goes beyond what an HR rep can do.

We have to be active and intentional about the type of community we want in our workplaces, and how we are going to build that. But for a lot of workplaces this may not be something you’ve considered strategically before. What am I talking about? Community Animation. For those that have worked with me before, this might be a familiar term. For those that haven’t - I’ll break it down for you. Animation is the process by which still figures or images are manipulated to appear as though they are moving - if we apply the same idea to community it’s essentially the process by which we activate and bring something to life. This suggests that creating community is never stagnant - it is always moving and evolving and it requires active participation. 

Animating or activating a community doesn’t happen once a quarter at a potluck lunch or a team building retreat (although those are definitely great things!) but it is built into our strategic plans, how we interact with one another and how we use the physical space we are in. Animating a community should be an everyday thing - it should spark joy and curiosity and most importantly should be rooted in values with the intention of creating genuine connection and collaboration

I know you’re probably sitting there thinking “Okay… but what’s a specific example of community animation? What does it look like in action?” Well - I’m not just going to give the goods away that easily! If you are interested in learning more about Community Animation and how you can use this approach to elevate a sense of belonging, connection and collaboration in your workplace I encourage you to register for my upcoming webinar Intro to Community Animation where we will explore the practice on a deeper level and how you might start to bring this concept into your workplace.

If you are looking for unique strategies for your workplace, please don’t hesitate to contact me for a consultation, workplace audit and Community Animation Guide customized for your company or organization.