Darnell and Harrell: Promoting social connection at work: What employers can do

If you are a full-time employee, you are most likely spending a third of your day working. We commit so much of our time and energy to our job and employer. Employers have had to navigate supporting and retaining their employees through economic recession, a global pandemic and a highly polarized political landscape. Many employers have had success with retaining employees by focusing on supporting employee well-being.

Well-being is defined as a sense of health and vitality that arises from your thoughts, emotions, actions and experiences. When we have well-being, we feel happy, healthy, socially connected and purposeful most of the time. With work being such a large part of our lives, it is only natural that it would have a significant impact on our well-being. Employee health incentive programs are excellent initiatives that employers have offered to support healthy lifestyle choices. So how can employers ensure that their employees feel socially connected?

Some employees come to work, do their job and leave without ever interacting with another employee. Many organizations have moved to a hybrid or remote model of working. Some employees have gotten used to working independently but would prefer more connection. And there are situations where people are being excluded by their co-workers and/or employer. Whatever the reason, ostracization in the workplace can be detrimental. Research shows that the part of the brain that responds to pain is active when someone is being ostracized. The individual who is being excluded will experience pain, coping and then depression. This can lead to serious mental health issues.

This means the employer might have to do even more to ensure that their employees have a sense of connectedness. The reality is that employees can still be ostracized even in a virtual environment. A study that was conducted simulated a virtual ball toss game. It was programmed to exclude one of the participants. Even in a virtual setting, the participants exhibited processing and coping with pain on their brain scans. An employee that is experiencing a negative impact on their well-being due to work will often look to work elsewhere. Well-being initiatives can help to lessen this risk. Examples of such initiatives are laid out below.

Training

Anti-bias training or awareness training for all employees is an effective way to start the conversation and the move to an inclusive organization. Anti-harassment and anti-bullying training is valuable as well as specialized training for your organization’s leadership. Training leaders in how to encourage an inclusive environment and how to model inclusive behaviors is important, as is good general leadership training. This training is the beginning and must be accompanied by deliberate and persistent efforts to create inclusion and connection.

Opportunities to connect over shared interests or experiences

It is a natural human tendency to be attracted to and spend time with people we perceive to be “like us.” This tendency can result in diverse employees feeling even more like outsiders. One way to counteract this tendency is to create or encourage groups or activities based on common interests, life stages or experiences. Some organizations have created social groups for new parents or grandparents. Running, walking or other fitness-related groups, book clubs or other interest-based groups can help employees find connection with people who may not look or sound like them or whom they might have never connected with in the regular flow of work.

Recognize and utilize employees’ strengths

Taking work time to focus on the individual strengths, interests and values of individual employees helps everyone to feel valued. Acknowledging what each person contributes to the workplace can increase employee engagement, satisfaction and performance. There are a variety of strengths-based assessments available, or one can use simple questions such as, “What leads to your best performance and happiest times at work?” Supervisors can also share strengths they have observed in employees.

Mentorship opportunities

Creating a high-quality mentorship program can be a lot of work, but the benefits are invaluable. It is helpful for employees to have that go-to person for guidance as they navigate the workplace. If a workplace does not have a formal mentorship program, an employer can foster mentorships organically or an employee can seek a mentor on their own. You can never have too much support.

De-emphasize alcohol at social gatherings

Make sure that work-based social events are not overly focused on alcohol. Many people would not think about this as an issue of inclusivity, but if drinking is the focus of most of your social events, you will be excluding some percentage of your employees. According to statistics from the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, 30% of American adults do not consume alcohol. People choose not to drink for a variety of health, religious and social reasons. If drinking is the expectation or strongly encouraged, some employees will not participate or will attend the event and feel even more like an outsider. This does not require banning alcohol at all work events. Simply reduce the importance and emphasis placed on drinking and shift the focus to connecting and building relationships.

Messaging during the holidays

Another thought to consider is whether your organization’s messaging around the holidays excludes some employees. Organizations might be surprised to know the number of employees who do not celebrate some of the most popular holidays for a variety of personal reasons. It can be exhausting to receive holiday wishes for a tradition you do not celebrate. Employers may want to consider holiday activities and messaging strategies that are inclusive of all employees.

In closing, many employers recognize the benefits of supporting their employees in their well-being. It is important to consider how to be inclusive in these initiatives, so you are supporting all your employees and not unintentionally excluding some. Organizational culture does not change overnight. Create a schedule to check your progress once a year or every two years for the foreseeable future. An employee engagement survey can be used to create a baseline and then track the culture of the organization. This is a crucial action item for any organization that wants to ensure their initiatives are effective in the long term. The best employee feels supported, valued and has a sense of belonging.•

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Princess Darnell is the deputy director of the Indiana Supreme Court Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Terry Harrell is the executive director of the Indiana Supreme Court Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program. Opinions expressed are those of the authors.