Fostering social connection and belonging

The human need to connect

Social connection and the feeling of belonging to a group is one of the most powerful resources for health protection and promotion. And given many of us spend almost a third of our lives at work, it is not surprising that working relationships are so important for our wellbeing.

Social connection is more than just 'getting along' with people. It is the experience of feeling close and connected to others, and includes feeling cared for and valued. As humans, we crave contact and connection with other people. It is an important motivator of our behaviour – just like food, shelter, and safety.

Positive social connections and meaningful relationships are built on:

• trust
• integrity
• good communication
• appreciation
• empathy and care
• fun
• authenticity
• reciprocity of support.

The benefits of social support and connections

Work relationships can either positively or negatively affect a person’s stress levels, productivity and general feelings of happiness. Low levels of practical and emotional support from co-workers and supervisors can be a psychosocial hazard.

Promoting a culture of dignity, respect and civility at work is critical to people feeling connected and supported. It also helps reduce psychosocial hazards such as bullying, sexual harassment and high levels of dysfunctional conflict.

Positive work connections benefit people’s health, by reducing their risk of significant health conditions such as high blood pressure, depression and weight gain. Teams benefit from higher levels of psychological safety and trust, positive workplace behaviours (e.g. helping and sharing resources), and stronger cohesion.

Organisations also benefit from positive work connections, via increased engagement, loyalty, collaboration and energy in the workplace, as well as lower absenteeism.

How you can create opportunities for social connection

Employers, supervisors and team leaders play a critical role in fostering positive working relationships and helping to cultivate a sense of belonging among workers.

Here are some ways you can foster social connection in your organisation:

• Give your team a compelling and shared purpose – This is something that everyone can buy into and get behind and helps to instil a strong sense of belonging.
• Meet regularly face to face – Trust develops when a leader or manager is present, spends time with their team, listens to concerns and celebrates successes. Face-to-face meetings are also opportunity to identify and address issues within the team.
• Identify and harness people who are ‘positive energisers’ – These are people that others gravitate towards. They build a belief and capacity in others and can create networks and connections.
• Create opportunities for bonding and connection – Encouraging people to get to know each other better can help cultivate camaraderie and unity and increase trust and open communication.
• Address conflict proactively – Sometimes people do not agree or see eye to eye. Managers and supervisors must be close enough to teams to recognise when this happens, and address issues swiftly and proactively to stop them escalating.
• Share information openly – The more information you can share with your team, the more people will feel empowered, and have a greater sense of purpose and trust. It is also a two-way street: encourage team members to share information so they feel valued and included.
• Express gratitude – This is such an important, but often overlooked, way of increasing connection and happiness among people at work. Celebrate successes large and small!

How you can build connections in virtual environments

With more people working from home, at least some of the time, building social connections may need both technology and creativity. Here are some things you can try:

• Hold morning updates – Use video conferencing to check in so the team stays on track and important news is communicated.
• Over-communicate – Repeat your messages several times; repost content and announcements on several channels and platforms to make sure they reach everyone.
• Hold walking meetings – Everyone gets out walking for the meeting and afterwards you share photos.
• Offer virtual coffees – Get the team together on video and have a coffee and chat, or a non-work activity.
• Promote team socialising – Where appropriate and welcome, set up a book club or movie club, hold trivia nights, attend the same webinar or set up regular meditation, yoga or stretch sessions.
• Discuss your worries or concerns and seek support – Where appropriate and welcome, share personal stories, photos, videos (pets, home office, walks, garden, food) so the team feels bonded. Set up a place to recommend online events and classes, books, Netflix series, movies and songs.

How you can build personal connections

Everyone in the organisation has a role in building positive social connections at work. Here are some principles to consider for fostering stronger connections at work:

Try

• Making small changes in your behaviour, like saying hello or making eye contact.
• Making connections beyond your immediate team; it is important to have relationships across the organisation.
• making time in busy schedules to actively build relationships at work.
• Respecting differences between you and people in your workplace.

Avoid

• Feeling pressured to share personal details to make a connection; work-related conversation works just as well.
• Thinking building relationships at work is only for extroverts or confident people.
• Faking it—your efforts to connect must be authentic or people will see through you.