How to build a workplace community in person or online

As companies grapple with whether to make their employees return to in-person work or embrace remote or hybrid schedules, there are strong opinions on both sides. While there are challenges and benefits to both, one thing is more important than where employees are physically working: building a sense of community and connection.

More than half of employees have left or strongly considered leaving a job because they did not have a strong sense of belonging to a community. This highlights the need for people to feel connected and valued at work.

Creating a strong environment of engaged, productive, and passionate employees is possible no matter where they work. Here are five ways to build a sense of community and connection in the workplace.

1. Leverage technology

Workplace technology tools have come a long way in recent years and are powerful in keeping teams connected, no matter if they work next door to each other or around the world. These tools make it easy for teams to communicate, collaborate, and work together effectively. Larry Gadea, founder and CEO of Envoy, says that if done right, the right workplace technology can help foster a sense of community and connection among employees, regardless of where they are located.

2. Create a shared mission

One of the easiest ways for employees to feel disconnected at work is when they don’t see their impact. They may feel like they are going through the motions but aren’t helping the company or its customers. To build community, create a shared goal or mission for all employees. This could be a big-picture mission or shorter-term goal — the purpose is to create something people can rally around. As teams progress toward that goal, ensure every employee knows how their work impacts the results.

3. Recognize excellence

Everyone wants to be recognized for great effort or a job well done. It’s easy for employees to get stuck in their lanes, but larger recognition opens their minds to the work of others and helps build bridges between teams and departments. Whether your team is in person or remote, regularly recognizing excellence encourages employees to put in their best work and shows that every person on the team matters.

4. Create shared experiences

Shared experiences create powerful bonds and allow employees to get to know each other in different ways. For in-person teams, these experiences can be anything from a team lunch or happy hour to a group service project, picnic, or conference. Although remote teams aren’t together physically, they can still have shared virtual experiences through virtual book clubs, cooking classes, or happy hours. Even opening a meeting with a question to get people talking about non-work topics can build a connection.

5. Provide opportunities to learn and grow

Investing in employee development shows leaders care about their people and want them to grow and succeed. For employees, growth opportunities strengthen the roots of the company. Provide opportunities for employees to learn and grow through tuition assistance programs, on-site or virtual learning, mentorship programs, or other networking events. Great learning can happen when employees share their skills with each other, which shows that every member of the team is valued and part of something bigger.