Belonging @ Work Connects Deeply
Feb 16, 2025
My laptop failed to recognize my microphone. I unplugged the mic and the camera to take my laptop with me on a trip during the previous week.
I re-plugged the mic into a USB slot as I did the camera. The camera worked fine. The mic did not.
I unplugged it from the USB and stuck it back in more firmly.
Still nothing.
So I did that thing we all do in such situations: I restarted the laptop.
And this time the red light came on the Blue Yeti, meaning the laptop recognized the mic. It’s worked fine ever since.
What was the problem?
I may never know, but I do know that sometimes connections are made but not recognized. The connection is shallow, giving the appearance of connection without the depth of recognition.
Sound like your work culture sometimes?
The team appears to connect with each other. They’re on task for the most part.
But their lights aren’t lit. Perhaps they lack a deep connection to the company mission or even each other.
Retention slips. Productivity lessens. Efficiency decreases.
There must be a better way.
The good news is there is.
As Marissa Andrada, former CHRO at Chipotle, told me on the Work Positive Podcast: "It's not so much that employees align with company culture when they join. It's about connections." (Check out her episode here.)
People don't leave companies. They leave because they lack connection.
Sarah, an HR leader at a manufacturing plant, discovered this reality in her work culture. "We had great pay, amazing benefits, even good work-life balance," she shared. "But we were losing people. We asked “Why?” and the answer was always the same: 'I just never felt like I truly belonged here.'"
Here are five tactics that ensure your connections count and you’re growing a belonging @ work culture:
Facilitate Better Connections: Foster genuine relationships beyond task completion. A tech company created "Connection Catalysts" in which team members claimed responsibility for building bridges across departments. Cross-team collaboration improved by 55% in one quarter.
Further Deep Connections: Implement "Connection Moments" where people can share beyond their job roles. A tech company created "Story Circles" where team members share their journeys, dreams, and challenges. Team trust scores increased 65%.
Find Connection Rhythms: Create consistent connection points. One service company implements "Belonging Beats" which have a cadence of daily check-ins, weekly celebrations, and monthly reviews. Engagement stayed consistently high when these rhythms became routine.
Focus Connection Skills: Provide specific belonging @ work skills training that level up connection capabilities. A tech company's "Connection Academy" teaches leaders how to focus on connecting deeply as a part of their belonging @ work initiative. Graduate teams show 70% higher engagement.
Foster Champions: Find those natural connection builders. The people for whom deep connections are as much a part of their DNA as their eye color. One retail organization looks for such employees and declares them "Culture Catalysts." They've built a network of 100 connection champions across their locations. Can you imagine how much fun their annual, in-person gatherings are?
Just like my microphone eventually connected after a restart, sometimes building deep connections takes persistence. Some of us catch on faster than others. The key is to resist the urge to judge. Instead, observe and support those who need extra help to connect deeply and recognize it.
Let's create work cultures where connections are present AND deeply valued.
Taken from Dr. Joey’s soon-to-be-released book, Belonging @ Work: 5 Shifts that S.T.I.C.K. a Positive Culture.
What’s your question about how to create a positive work culture? Ask Dr. Joey here.
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