by Sam, Management 3.0

We need to bring more connection into everything we do. That’s the message of Chris Tuff, the youngest partner in the 100-year history of the company 22squared, author of The Millennial Whisperer and upcoming participant in the Forward Virtual Summit on November 19-20, where he’ll interviewed about Adapting For The New World Of Work & Workers.

So much has changed in such a short time, which is why Chris says that connection needs to be at the heart of everything we do.

Why does connection matter?

Now more than ever people are feeling isolated. Companies that never used to embrace remote working, now have employees working from home, leaving many people finding it hard to stay connected.

Connection at work is important because it helps:

• Motivate teams
• Increases the ability to manage work-life balance
• Create genuine connections with employees and customers
• Make people healthier

Why is Management 3.0 creator and founder, Jurgen Appelo excited for our first ever Forward Virtual Summit? Listen to him here!

What can companies do to create stronger connections?

#1: Celebrate the little things: We don’t often take the time to celebrate the little moments, or small successes. But by finding reasons to celebrate, we bring people together and find a common purpose to foster motivation.

#2: Share a meal: We understand that given COVID this isn’t AS easy anymore. If you’re able to eat together at work then it’s a great opportunity to chat and connect about things that aren’t work related. If you can’t do this in person, you can still have a virtual ‘date’ over ZOOM or Skype.

#3: Create a social area or moment: This also might not be as easy with COVID, but whether you’re in the office or working remotely, designate a space or a time just for catching up. It could be a set ‘coffee hour’, each day on ZOOM or a special room in the office, like a chill room where people can go, take a break and chit chat.

#4: Human First: No matter what’s going on in the world and no matter how stressful work is, never forget that humanity comes first. When we keep this top of mind, we’re more sympathetic and empathetic, which makes it much easier to foster connection and trust. There are exponential impacts from managers, simply showing employees that they care by asking how they’re doing.

#5: Ask Questions about Life Outside Work: This might seem obvious but it’s something we don’t do often enough. Things get so busy that we can be in and out of meetings virtually, or in person and sometimes it’s only about business. But if we can take the time to ask a personal question, it creates a stronger level of trust, which fuels motivation.

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Get a sneak peak in this Forward Minute with Chris Tuff, as to what you have to look forward to!

Photo credit Toa Heftiba via Unsplash