Optimizing internal communications can help employees feel a greater sense of connection to an organization. Audit your current communications processes and evaluate what strategies are working and those that aren't. From here, consider introducing tools like blogs, newsletters, live Q&A sessions and meet-and-greet events to your strategy to engage employees.
While it's likely the organization already has determined a few of its core values already, consider inviting employees to engage in defining additional principles. Listening to what tenets employees find important in a workplace community can help them feel more heard, understood and appreciated in their roles. From here, they may invest more in these values and assume the responsibility of upholding them.
It's common for organizations to offer professional development and training opportunities designed to help employees acquire the skills needed for their roles. This approach doesn't typically take employees' specific needs into account, though. Therefore, when establishing training processes and inviting employees to participate, consider customizing these programs to their personal goals to demonstrate an investment in their career success.
A key part of creating community in a workplace environment is fostering connections between employees. While this can be a challenging task because it requires employee participation, you can create a basis for these connections by encouraging employees to engage with one another. Consider providing platforms for employees to share stories about their lives, personal successes and unique interests over which they can bond with others.
When attempting to create a community on an organizational scale, it's important that you plan events where all team members can interact with others outside of their departments. Consider hosting events like lunches, games, competitions or talks to encourage organization-wide engagement. During these events, employees may be able to form connections to others with whom they don't ordinarily interact.
Maintaining accountability at all levels can help employees invest more in a workplace community. Therefore, it may be helpful for leaders, managers and employees alike to express a sense of responsibility regarding their work and how it affects others. This type of alignment can help foster a more collective environment overall.
Building community in the workplace often requires managers to pay close attention to employee wellbeing and satisfaction. When managers value employee contributions, afford them flexibility in their roles and provide them with opportunities to practice self-care, they may be able to achieve a healthier work-life balance. From here, employees may recognize the value of their workplace environment and grow more loyal to the organization for which they work.
