Employee connection 101

Organisations that have highly motivated and satisfied employees tend to be more successful. Connections between colleagues are essential to foster a sense of belonging and bonding. In this section, we define what employee connection is and describe the benefits encouraging strong connections can bring your business.

What is employee connection?

Employee connection is about feeling a sense of belonging to the organisation. It is also about team collaboration, staff bonding, inspiring leadership, team mentoring and much more. Employee connection can be split into three factors: connecting to people, connecting to values and connecting to the work itself.

Connecting to people

Relationships that employees build with their colleagues and leaders humanise the workplace. Connecting with people can be achieved through conversation, recognition and celebration.

Connecting to values

People are attached to the values of the company they work for. This is because they associate their identity with their work and need to feel both that they belong at a company and proud of working for it. Individuals who are aligned with the vision and the values of an organisation will be more engaged and feel like their work is meaningful.

Connecting to the work

Having a sense of pride in their work gives employees a stronger drive to deliver, while fostering enhanced productivity and a higher standard of work. Employees who feel connected to their work value it. They seek growth, work at enhancing their skills and want to move up the ladder.

Benefits of employee connection

Employee connection influences employee satisfaction and overall motivation. But there are additional benefits to creating and cultivating employee connection. Below is a snapshot of what employee connection can bring to your business:

Improves quality of work

Feeling connected helps employees do their work on a day-to-day basis. The sense of belonging they get from connecting to colleagues, the company and their work may motivate them to go above and beyond.

Boosts employee engagement

Connected employees are more motivated and have a stronger drive to achieve. Conversely, employees who lack strong connections are usually disengaged.

Related: How to develop employee engagement and motivation in the workplace

Reduce the organisation’s turnover

The connections employees create with their colleagues, the company’s values and the work make them less likely to consider leaving their job. Employees who do not connect with their peers are more likely to look for opportunities outside the organisation.

Related: How to reduce employee turnover

How to create, cultivate and increase employee connection

Employee connection brings many benefits to organisations that know how to create, cultivate and continuously enhance those connections. To do so, there are some actions, big and small, that businesses can take. In the section below, we explore what companies can do to create employee connection but also to cultivate those connections and to keep the momentum going.

How to create employee connection

When looking to create employee connection, the first step to take is to see your employees as people. Human resources teams should develop people strategies that aim at putting employees first and acknowledging their efforts. Here are a few recommendations for businesses to create employee connection:

Ensure recognition

Recognising employees’ hard work and accomplishment is essential to demonstrate that they are valued. By acknowledging their work, the business shows appreciation and creates connections. Acknowledging employees’ important life events is also recommended. It shows that the company cares about its people.

Engage in dialogue

Leaders should proactively encourage two-way communication with their teams. They can provide constructive feedback but should also seek it. Weekly one-to-one check-ins can be instated alongside monthly team meetings and much more. These checkpoints help forge bonds and foster a sense of belonging.

Read more: Communication at your workplace: positive and constructive feedback for employees

Celebrate people

Celebrating life events such as weddings, birthdays, house moves and other special occasions in your employee’s lives shows your staff that their personal experiences or and lives matter. Celebrate your people with simple actions that mark special occasions in their lives and make them feel appreciated.

How to cultivate connections with employees

Once you have instated an atmosphere that demonstrates that you care about your people, it is just as important to cultivate this environment. Here are some suggestions on how to do so.

Make sure you collect feedback

To cultivate meaningful connections, listening is paramount. Companies can collect feedback from their employees through regular employee satisfaction surveys. The objective is to understand their sentiment. Make sure that you communicate the feedback collected, and that you are transparent about the actions taken to address any potential challenges.

Read more: Employee satisfaction surveys: what they are and why they’re important for your business

Make acknowledging and celebrating people a habit

For leaders and team members alike, it is easy to get entangled in the demands of work and forget about recognitions, as these are not a priority. However, celebrations need to be made habitual to help cultivate human connections. Assign someone responsibility for birthdays and other celebrations. You can also recognise team members for their work during weekly meetings. By making these actions habitual, you create an environment that consistently values people.

Keep employee connection growing

Increasing employee connection on an ongoing basis is essential to keep the momentum going. This step requires long-term people strategies and is an effort that should be led by human resource teams. Here are some suggestions on how to continuously increase employee connection.

Develop inspiring leaders

Leaders are an essential part of the work atmosphere. Their behaviours contribute to creating a positive team spirit. Leaders who demonstrate that they are supportive and engaged are likely to transmit this attitude to their teams. As such, developing inspiring leaders, who lead by example, is essential to create an inclusive and encouraging company culture.

Create a plan for remote employees

Remote employees should not be forgotten from the people strategy. Intentionally creating systems so that they connect with their colleagues will ensure they are not isolated and thus remain engaged in their role. Encourage virtual events and regular in-person meetings for remote employees.

Employee connection brings many benefits to organisations. It demonstrates that the company is putting its people first and ensures that employees are motivated. Establishing a long-lasting people strategy is essential and can be brought about by a combination of inspiring leadership, ongoing recognition of staff and systematic celebration of people. Employee connection is about creating a work environment where people feel appreciated and valued.