Do you have a business lunch date yet? Connected Lunch at Bayer

I still remember how it was, when I was younger. The whole family met every Sunday at our grandparents place, having lunch together, talking about what`s going on. That have been those times, when over lunch close ties have been build, and we got help whenever we needed it.

And in the workplace for sure we also use lunch time calling it “business lunch” to discuss topics with colleagues we know, while eating together. Interestingly enough at the same time the most interesting discussions are often happening when meeting new colleagues and get new and different perspectives.

But how to find such “new” colleagues, or colleagues from other areas, who share the same curiosity to meet new people?

Veronica had the idea to develop a “Connected Lunch” App, working like roulette, where you can enter a date and site and then turn the wheel to get a proposal for someone else to meet for lunch. This idea has been further implemented by a diverse team from different functions and cultures and now has been launched as MVP (minimum viable product) and was developed in an agile way - with the true mindset of a digital working team collaborating through using the digital workplace around the globe bringing in diverse perspective and experiences. It serves to connect people from different divisions, functions and backgrounds so that they can meet up for lunch and sharing experience and learning from each other.

And sure, I am one of those curios persons and entered a date and site. I have got a proposal to meet with Shehab Rezk from a function I don′t know very well. Today we met for lunch introducing each other and at the same time realizing, that we have found both a “missing piece” in the puzzle. While he is working as architect on the design of new and "open space" offices and "collaboration spaces", I am in my role dealing with the topic on how to foster collaboration and change to drive digital transformation. I learned about why and what they are doing and we also discussed, that often such change projects moving into an Open Space concept start with asking employees, presenting designs, dealing with the expectations and still they often end some month after with a survey, where affected employees are asked about their satisfaction. We both agreed, that often such Open Space experiences only develop after quite some time, so why not again after e.g. one year engage with the people and further think through and reflect what else could be done (and it must not necessarily mean to do some additional construction work). It was great to learn and extend my network and I know have another person I can go back any time vice versa.

I was just asking myself, if there was somehow artificial intelligence involved in the great match, but sure it wasn′t – it was because we could enter some key words of interest before turning the wheel.

So for the Bayer colleagues, just search for “Connected Lunch” in our Intranet to find some more information on those places where the experiment has been started and get access to the app.

Alternatively there are more things you can do. And I still remember a tweet from Katharina Nolden who asked on twitter in May starting a new job, how to create networks with people without having this kind of technology.

Here are some ideas:

• Post in your #ESN that you are looking for people that you don′t know (yet), that you want to meet for lunch and wait…- at meast my experience is, you will find like minded people very quickly.
• Organize a #LunchAndLearn re a specific topic and either post it in #ESN (if not available, share via "calendar invite" with people you know and ask them to forward it) or leave it on a company pinboard and see who shows up. Lessons Learned Tips: Plan for 90 min, leave the first 30 minutes for people for smalltalk, get to know, and eating, then start the session. Ask at the end of the lunch & learn, who else want to share something next time and fix the date...
• Print out a piece of paper with the text ?Get connected, build your network, do not lunch alone, join me here and let′s talk” and place it in front of your table in the canteen and see what happens. (The “pro” idea would be to reserve a table for a whole week in the canteen if possible and place this or a similar text there..)

I am sure you will meet great people, learn about new things and perspectives and increase your valuable professional network.

What are your experiences and ideas for building new networks and communities?