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From financial services to firefighters on the front line, teams play an important role in creating a collective sense of belonging.
However, with hybrid working becoming the norm, how can businesses create a sense of togetherness and community to help avoid them becoming disengaged from the business? The answer lies in technology.
The importance of collaboration
Smart businesses understand that keeping employees motivated is key to engagement and performance. Whether in the same building or working alone, employees who continually lack support or feel isolated from the business and its common objectives are likely to become demotivated and disengaged, potentially harming the work they do and their overall productivity.
At a time when many of us are being forced to work remotely, efforts to improve engagement should recognise different types of work and working environments, along with the different types of challenges employees face.
Meeting the personal and professional needs of remote workers that have little or no face-to-face contact with the organisation can be especially tough.
To boost engagement within a team and the wider business, employees need to feel empowered to approach colleagues and share information and ideas. They should also feel connected to the organisation itself – its goals, mission, values, and news.
When people feel like they belong to something bigger and are working towards a common purpose, they often become more motivated and find it easier to make sense of their work.
A go-to network for support, feedback, collaboration and socialising, successful teams play an important role in supporting this collective sense of belonging. Whether its reassurance from a trusted colleague to a well-oiled department hitting a team target together, the positive interactions they support can be key to improving all-round performance.
Connected and engaged with social technology
From video calls to social media and instant messages, the ability to connect and communicate with anyone, instantly and regardless of location has brought many friends and families closer than ever, particularly in Lockdown.
To truly engage and connect employees, workplace technology needs to be intuitive, secure and – just like social media – fun, easy to use and mobile.
Designed to improve teamworking opportunities, support and knowledge sharing, business social platforms create a forum to connect across teams, departments and locations. As well as helping to encourage a culture of collaboration. They provide a secure space to connect and help keep everyone part of the conversation.
Keeping everyone up-to-date and in the picture, there are spaces for employees to catch up on company news, see what other people are working on and to give and receive recognition regardless of where they are working.
Whether it is extending a virtual arm out to a colleague in need of support, or sharing success and good news as it happens, when it comes to social technology, businesses shouldn’t overlook the opportunity to connect their hybrid teams.
