Community in the Workplace!?
In the past, we did not recognize the importance of community building in the workplace. We focused solely on team building and strategy. But we know better now.
“Peter Drucker, the renowned management consultant and writer, said: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” And in the wake of unprecedented changes to working life, organizations are waking up to the fact that you can have the greatest strategy and the best people in the world, but it doesn’t matter if your culture isn’t right.” – Workplace.com
We’ve been aware of this for some time. We tried various approaches to building a community culture – with limited success. These actions never achieved the success we wanted because we didn’t understand what we needed to do to build a community culture in the workplace.
In Other People’s Words
“…culture isn’t just about physical stuff like a ping-pong table and snack machine. It’s about connecting people to a common purpose. It’s about connecting them with each other.”- Workplace.com
“Community is critical to our overall wellbeing and the decline of our connectedness is coming at the same time mental health issues are on the rise.” Forbes.com
“In the workplace, community refers to a sense of belonging and connection among employees, fostering a supportive and collaborative environment. Building and maintaining this community, especially in hybrid and remote work setups, is essential as it helps combat social isolation and strengthens relationships among team members.” – Flexos.work
“Communities allow like-minded employees to connect and stay connected while further growing their company roots. These communities can become a crucial retention effort and a substantial competitive advantage.” – Harvard Business Review
“The future of business is a more open, connected, engaging one, and communities are going to change the nature of how we interact with brands, products, and other people.” –Harvard Business Review
“A sense of community is endemic to our humanity: It’s the feeling of identity, of belonging—the feeling that we matter and share a commitment to meeting one another’s needs.” – Psychenet.apa.org
“With the decline of traditional community institutions, the business focus on consumer communities has only filled some of the void. The missing piece: A renewed focus on the employees’ community experience.” – Canada.gcuc.co
“Relationships between people are critical to employee satisfaction and output—so much so, that Gallup researchers have reported that having a best friend at work is positively related to the amount of effort employees expend.” GallupPoll.com
In My Words
With a passionate belief in the power of Community, I’ve spent the better part of a decade decoding exactly how to build community. My programs have shown efficacy across a wide range of organizations. It’s about more than just hosting barbecues or staff parties; it involves intentionally focusing on fostering deeper connections among team members in a fundamentally new way.
In other words, I know how to foster the growth of an authentic community culture.
Community and the Workplace – Do They Belong Together?
Yes, they do! Especially when we are speaking of those in the First Responder world.
Your Words?
Contact me to learn how we can help you build a strong community culture within your organization.
Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash