MrBravado

VP of Marketing

WFH, Teams & Belonging

WFH, Teams & Belonging

Team cohesion erodes when we feel isolated from the group

We're social beings: we thrive when we feel we "belong"

Our connections give us a sense of belonging:

Friends

Family

Town

State

Country

Religion

Sports-teams

Leisure & hobbies

Causes

AND WORK - all help give our lives purpose and meaning

These connections have been strained for months

Focusing on work-connections - as managers - and as individuals:

1. What can we do to foster more belonging with our team-mates?

2. How can we help each other feel needed & appreciated?

3. How can we balance present uncertainties with ideas that help us feel more secure?

Managers set the tone:

-Celebrate successes privately & publicly

-Give praise more frequently

-Show more trust

-Communicate by listening more

-Foster flexibility

-Acknowledge uncertainties we all feel, but also point out strengths and good news

Lighten up the mood, bring some whimsy to work:

-Send the team matching socks, chocolate, party hats to celebrate wins?

-Pick a clothing color of the day for a team meeting?

-Give the team a Zoom background to share?

-Share pet pics?

WFM is here for a while

We need to mindfully foster team cohesion & feelings of “belonging”

Of course, it's not about the "socks" -- it's about the recognition and appreciation of each individual.

Would love to learn about different ways folks are fostering "belonging" in their teams.

🙏 Mental Wellness

7

10 comments

Sort by:

fuzzy

Notable Contributor

2

CMO (Chief Meme Officer)

This is an entirely missing piece of the puzzle for a lot of companies. Apple has an entire division called Employee Enrichment for this very reason. It's sad to see so many people succumb to isolationism during this time.

MrBravado

WR Officer

2

VP of Marketing

WFH will likely continue until next Winter for many of us.

The novelty wore off a while ago. Now we're left with the grind of it.

And it's really not getting easier.

The more people who start new jobs during WFH, the more challenging it becomes for teams to feel cohesive. And for new members to feel like they are part of the team.

ounceoz

WR Officer

1

US Sales Director

Participated in a team zoom art show last year. It was optional but if you wanted to participate you could share a piece of art from your house and talk about it. Was actually pretty fun. We did a DYI project share as well.

MrBravado

WR Officer

1

VP of Marketing

Sharing our creativity, and the things we hold dear, is a very helpful way to reconnect with our inner-selves, and with the people we share with.

SalesPharaoh

Big Shot

1

Senior Account Executive

I think it really depends on the team. I don't see much effort being done by the company part but also because I feel there isn't much buy in from employees. the polls generated showed people are in favor for WFH. Looks like either people just don't enjoy each other's physical company or just prefer the avoid the commute. Don't know how to take this.

MrBravado

WR Officer

2

VP of Marketing

Different people have different needs. What works for one may not work for another. That's OK. And we each have a voice to be heard.

Surprising as it may sound, it can sometimes be a maze to discover what we need. There can be so many "inputs" and "ideas" from others that hearing our own voice can be hard. Depending on how we were brought up, maybe hearing our own inner-voice wasn't developed.

CV19 has put a lot of people into different situations. Managers too. Being honest about your feelings, in an appropriate way, is important. Confidentially sharing your situation with friends is a start.

SalesPharaoh

Big Shot

1

Senior Account Executive

real good take MrBravado.

MrBravado

WR Officer

0

VP of Marketing

Thank you @SalesPharoh .

Collectively, we are all impacted by the coronavirus situation - all in different ways. It really is a kind of shared trauma. Just no-one wants to use that word/language.

SalesPharaoh

Big Shot

0

Senior Account Executive

Yea I agree Trauma is a heavy word. But if people are getting anxious or depressed then it should be normalized so people who need help get the help.

MrBravado

WR Officer

0

VP of Marketing

Here's an idea to encourage some connection.

- Build into scheduled Zoom calls time for non-work related chit-chat in the last 10 minutes. People who are busy can leave. That's cool. People who want some off-the-cut conversation can stay.

What do you think?

Bravado is a community of trusted sales professionals endorsed by their customers.

Products

The War Room Jobs Salary Guide Tech Sales U

Company

About Us How It Works Blog Bug Bounty

Contact

© 2024 Bravado Inc. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy Legal and Privacy Center Sales Jobs

If you are hired as a contract sales rep by a Bravado customer, we may ask you to prove access to the employee email account provided to you by that customer. This data will be shared with customers to track your sales productivity; customers can use this data to confirm you meet the minimum activity requirements to pay out your ramp stipend and commission.