4 benefits of encouraging social connections at work
The average employee spends nearly 90,000 hours at work within their lifetime.
While time spent at work is inevitable, that 90,000 hours is illustrative of how important it is to retain and hire employees who are passionate about their work or who have a desire to develop in their careers.
However, that isn’t the case for every employee and that is where social connections — the relationships your employees form in the workplace — can play a major role in the success of your organization. Encouraging and fostering social connectedness in your workplace can create a sense of fulfillment for your employees and lead to positive results.
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4 ways your employees — and workplace — benefit from social connection
According to WebMD® Health Services, strong social connections within the workplace are shown to make your employees happier and physically healthier, which translates into improved work performance. Whether those strong connections are between mentors/mentees, leadership or peers, when your employees’ social well-being needs are met, it’s a win-win for everyone.
Here's how you might see the benefits of social connection in your workplace:
1.
Less stress and depression.
Have you ever seen an employee perform at his or her best when dealing with stress, depression or burnout? Probably not. If your workplace fuels high levels of stress, you can expect more absenteeism, illness, low energy levels, morale and irritability. However, strong social connections at work can help minimize the negative health effects of stress and reduce the risk of many chronic health conditions like heart disease, depression and diabetes.
2.
Increased engagement and lower turnover.
Social connection encourages employees to form emotional connections, not just with their teammates, but with their work. This results in more engaged employees. According to Gallup, organizations with engaged employees see 21 percent less turnover and 78 percent less absenteeism.
3.
Improved brain health and cognitive function.
Socialization and relationship building stimulates the brain, which helps to strengthen neural networks and support memory function. In fact, individuals who don’t socialize are 40 percent more at risk for developing dementia.
4.
Sense of belonging.
After their physiological and safety needs are met, according to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, humans need love and belonging. Interpersonal relationships help motivate behaviors of friendship, acceptance, trust and being a part of a group.
Ideas for fostering social connection at work
Whether your workplace is fully remote, in-person or a hybrid of both, there are opportunities to socially connect teams and build upon current relationships. We've put together a list of ideas to get you started.
1.
Give everyone a chance to speak.
We all go into a meeting and know exactly who will chime in first or control the commentary. Encourage management to gather input and feedback from employees who may not typically speak up in these settings. Additionally, allow for your employees to present cross-departmentally on the work they are contributing to the company's goals. This is a great way to show your employees you care, support them and are committed to their growth and development as individuals, too.
2.
Celebrate milestones and accomplishments.
Your team reached a new sales goal? Celebrate. An employee announced they're expanding their family? Celebrate. An employee got promoted? You know what to do. Find ways to celebrate milestones, accomplishments and even the smallest of victories. It can make all the difference for you to show your employees you appreciate them. It might be easier than you think with just a thoughtful message or a handwritten note.
3.
Set up monthly coffee or lunch breaks.
Food and coffee are something most employees can bond over. Encourage employees to set up monthly coffee or lunch breaks to connect more deeply with individuals on their team or within the organization.
Need support? Our team of well-being experts are here to help
We all know healthy employees are happier, perform better and are less absent from work — especially when your organization takes a holistic approach to accommodating employees' changing needs.
Wellmark knows your business and has insight and data on your employees that you might not have in-house. Our team of employer health and well-being consultants can serve as an extension of your workforce and provide expertise in creating engaging solutions to meet the unique needs of your employee population.
Reach out to a Wellmark well-being consultant to start the conversation and find solutions that address your specific workplace well-being goals.
Questions? Contact your authorized Wellmark account representative or email us at blueatwork@Wellmark.com.