Unlocking Connection through the Intentional Community
Every day, the environments in which we live, work, play, and heal influence our perceptions, actions and interactions. Many are not aware of the impact our environment has on our behavior. Even if we are aware, we may have little control over the places we inhabit. By engaging in socialization, mentorship, and innovation, communities within a workplace will form allowing employees to better connect, despite their physical location.
Why do we care?
50% of people want more social connections at work and would even give up salary or career advancement to have stronger ties with others.
9 in 10 workers who have a mentor are satisfied with their jobs.
84% of executives say innovation in a company is key to the growth.
Unlocking Connection Means...
…realizing that we can’t continue to do things the way they’ve “always been done” and expect new, meaningful results
…understanding how we build connection varies depending on our physical proximity to each other and it’s our job to adjust for us and for others
…being able to show up and be seen as our most authentic self, finding belonging no matter our physical location
Socialization allows us to feel like we have friends, that we understand our coworkers, and to learn about the people we spend time with at work in a 3-dimensional way. In short, socialization helps us to feel like we are part of a group.
When effective, mentorship programs allows employees to feel secure in the fact that someone is looking out for them personally and professional. Mentorship can help us feel like we are understood as an individuals.
Not only is innovation great for the company, but employees feel the personal benefits of it like motivation, purpose, and inspiration. Innovation often comes when we feel like we are part of a group and understood as an individual.
To unlock connection, organizations and individuals should prioritize time and put structures in place that support connectivity across regions, time zones, and cultures.
Activities for Building the Intentional Office
Focus
Mentorship
Innovation
Collaboration
Socialization
Learning
Creating Intentional Spaces
To make the office “worth the commute” customers are seeking more adaptable individual spaces, flexible collaborative spaces, social settings to create culture, shared focus spaces to think, and seamless connection experiences for remote participants. When planning a workspace with intentionality, the result is thoughtfulness and longevity with the ways the office supports a workforce.
