Why you need Connection in your workplace, and how to drive it.
What exactly is connection?
This question was posed to our Human Leaders community last week and interestingly, many of us were a little stumped not knowing how exactly to define or explain connection.
I suspect this might also be the case for many others; at best, it seems we've all got varying ideas of what it is.
From the live session, a myriad of explanations around connection arose when we asked the group, including: a bond, a relationship between people, a shared sense of purpose, a felt sense of meaning, association with others, a gateway to culture, to connect is to trust.?
Having the language to understand this concept is fundamental first step in building it:?if we don't know exactly what something is, how can we work towards it??
This is why many Leaders miss the mark when building connection in their teams, we don't have a clear understanding of what it is, and therefore don't know how to build it.?
What we experience in our workplaces and teams goes beyond the basic definition of connection into Social Connection (defined above), which research shows is a fundamental human need and a core driver in our behaviour. According to?Stanford Medicine , Social Connection as also been linked to improved cognitive function, improved immune system and overall wellbeing, increased empathy and lower rates of stress and anxiety in the individual.
At an organisational level, fostering social connection shows clear benefits to business too. In a study by Julianne Holt-Lunstad published in the American Journal of Health Promotion , improving social connection at work goes far beyond a 'feel good' matter for organisations to consider. As detailed in her report, Holt-Lunstad states:
"There is now sufficient evidence to document that social disconnection has significant health and economical costs."
Social Connection at work may reduce interpersonal conflict, a precursor to job related stress and decreased wellbeing. Social connection also acts as a buffer against loneliness, protecting individuals against negative cognitive biases and perceptions of threat that may arise as a result of loneliness. Loneliness is also linked to a reduction in productivity, particularly true for those in Leadership roles such as first time CEO's:
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"For first time CEO's, 70% of those who experience loneliness report that the feelings negatively affect their performance."
In this research we see clearly that social connection is a valuable, if not critical, need for organisations to foster at all levels.
As humans, we spend more waking hours at work then we do almost anywhere else, so it's important that Leaders and organisations understand the role that work plays in contributing meaningful social connection to employees.
Here are a few key ways Leaders & companies can focus on increasing social connection:
Start by reflecting, auditing and understanding where your team and organisation needs work, invite employees to give feedback and input, and build change in small, incremental ways to ensure it's sustained long term as culture.
About Human Leaders
A peer to peer learning community for Leadership at all levels.
We exist to support Leadership?at all levels,?whether you're a Leader by title or not, our Human Leaders are those ready and willing to prioritise their growth to?truly put Humans-first?in business. Learn more at www.wearehumanleaders.com
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Teach Cognitive Health in Conscious Companies Globally ? Use Principles from the Intersection of Neuroscience, Psychology + Nutrition ? Workshops + Online Training ? Neuroscientist ? Keynote Speaker
2 年Such an important conversation in relation to us as leaders and as a species in general, in relation to our mental well-being Human Leaders and Alexis Zahner. We are a community species and when we don’t feel a sense of connection with our fellows, whoever they may be - which is dependant on our environment - our mental health suffers.
Help executives make a meaningful impact, build empowered teams, drive change with confidence & ease | Transformational Exec & Leadership Team Coach | Founder I Keynote Speaker I Podcast Host I Top 15 Coaches in Dubai
2 年Great how you elaborate on the meaning of connection in the worplsce we explored in the last week workshop Alexis Zahner. I'm always impressed by your research & curiosity. To feel belonging, happiness, safety and perform we need to feel connected to others and to the reason why we collaborate. There is one more dimention to connection- being connected to oneself for a sence of wholeness and alignment with oneself that also place a role in how we show up & perform.