1 idea to boost social connection in the workplace
We think the hidden gem for boosting employees’ social connection in the workplace could be a healthy dose of nostalgia.
Transport yourself back to the past, grab a handful of Sherbert Lemons and settle down with a Dandelion and Burdock. Ahh, nostalgia. There’s nowt quite as powerful for the senses, right?
And then take social connection. Some believe it can give us an essential sense of identity and help us learn skills necessary to thrive in a complex world. And given we’ll spend nearly 85,000 hours of our lifetime at work… camaraderie with our colleagues is paramount.
That’s why we reckon nostalgia and social connection could be an often overlooked power couple when it comes to your employee engagement approach.
How can nostalgia create social connection?
A celebrity from the past, a place you’re revisiting or just something popping up on the TV. One glimpse, and long-forgotten memories come flooding out of that dusty filing cabinet in our brain.
While we’re feeling wistful about the memory, science shows it also fuels our need for belonging. This can prompt us to build on current social bonds, strengthen relationships and sometimes even pursue goals we once put aside.
So why not play this out in the workplace? Colleagues sharing tales of much-loved foods from their childhood. Playlists compiled of the school disco favourites. We don’t think reminiscing about that lukewarm Panda Pop or 1980s pop phenomenon is idle chit chat – it’s team bonding in action.
And take this tasty little morsel –
Nostalgia reminds us of the things we want to hold on to and what we want to leave behind. It provides us with the focus to move forward.
So, are you part of an organisation that’s relocating or changing business direction? Encourage the sharing of nostalgic stories about your former home, past achievements to be proud of or challenges successfully overcome.
As psychologist Clay Routledge points out, employees who reflect on past experiences from their organisation – aka organisational nostalgia – report a greater sense of meaning and engagement around what they do.
Get colleagues jotting down memories about your organisation that hold a place in their heart. And make sure they have somewhere to share those moments.
Social connection – your colleagues crave it. Your organisation relies on it.
Time to dig out the camcorder.
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