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Strategies for Building Community in the Workplace
A strong community at work boosts your company’s success. Let us guide you in creating
Imagine you need to cross a vast lake in a small rowing boat, all by yourself. How does that make you feel? A bit daunting, maybe even unmotivated?
Now, picture the same challenge but this time, you’re not alone. You have a team with you, a supportive community by your side. You all climb into the boat together, each person taking up an oar.
How does that change things? How do you feel now?
This is exactly why building a strong sense of community in the workplace is so important. When employees feel they’re part of a supportive group, they’re more motivated, engaged, and ready to take on challenges together. In this article, we’ll explore practical steps you can take to build this sense of connection in your organization.
A community in the workplace goes beyond just being a group of people working under the same roof. It’s an environment where employees feel valued, connected, and supported in their collective goals. It’s the emotional and professional bond that fosters collaboration, trust, and a sense of shared purpose.
Research shows that 76% of employees view their workplace as a community, with 72% considering it crucial to feel part of that community. This sense of belonging significantly impacts engagement, productivity, and retention.
Let’s delve into the key benefits of building this sense of community at work:
Boosted Productivity: When employees feel connected, they communicate better and collaborate more effectively, leading to a significant increase in productivity by 14%.
Encouraged Innovation: When employees feel safe and valued within a community, they’re more willing to share their knowledge and ideas openly. This culture of knowledge sharing enhances creativity and leads to innovative solutions.
Lower Turnover Rates: Employees who feel a sense of belonging are less likely to leave and reduce the turnover risk by 43%.
Enhanced Well-being: A supportive community at work provides emotional support, reducing stress and increasing overall job satisfaction. Employees who feel supported are more likely to stay healthy and engaged, which can lead to a 75% decrease in sick days.
Cross-Team Collaboration: A strong workplace community fosters collaboration across departments. When teams feel connected, they’re more likely to work together seamlessly, share resources, and tackle challenges collectively, leading to more cohesive project outcomes.
Lastly, let’s not forget that we’re all human, naturally seeking a greater purpose or at least questioning it. As Simon Sinek famously says, it’s essential to “start with why.” Gallup studies also show that people, especially millennials, feel more motivated by a mission—like crossing the lake together—than by money alone.
Community is built through open exchange. If your employees are afraid to share their ideas or feedback, your company can’t truly thrive. It’s crucial to establish a strong internal communication plan and foster a vibrant feedback culture. Regular team meetings are an effective way to achieve this, ensuring that everyone feels heard and valued.
Establishing workplace rituals can create a sense of belonging and anticipation. Whether it’s celebrating work anniversaries, hosting team lunches, or having a casual “Movie Monday,” these rituals give employees something to look forward to and enhance camaraderie. At Seibert Media / Appanvil, for example, cake is very popular. Whenever someone is onboarded or has a birthday, or someone’s dog has a birthday …. there is cake.
Regularly recognizing the efforts and achievements of employees is essential for creating a positive work environment. Whether done formally or informally, providing regular recognition helps employees feel valued and appreciated. Simple acts like sending a thank-you note or publicly acknowledging employees during meetings can significantly boost morale and strengthen the sense of community within the workplace.
This example shows how a “praise post” from Mantra intranet looks like:
Celebrate successes, big or small. Whether it’s onboarding a new client or completing a challenging project, take the time to celebrate these moments. It can be a simple team coffee break or a more elaborate celebration. And cake. Don’t forget about the cake! Recognizing achievements helps reinforce a sense of community and shared purpose. Think back to when you and your team crossed that big lake—what an achievement, right? Wouldn’t you just want to jump for joy? Go ahead and celebrate it!
Creating a vibrant workplace community goes beyond direct team interactions. By encouraging employees to connect with colleagues from different departments, you foster “weak ties” that are crucial for a well-rounded community. Organize cross-departmental collaboration, workshops, or peer coaching programs to break down silos and encourage collaboration.
Encouraging the formation of ERGs is a great way to strengthen workplace community. These groups allow employees to connect over shared interests, whether it’s professional development, a hobby like reading or running, or even a cause they’re passionate about. ERGs provide a platform for employees to network, learn, and support each other, creating a more inclusive and engaged workplace. Plus, they can lead to valuable initiatives and ideas that benefit the entire organization.
These tips are great for on-site teams, but what if most of your employees work remotely? How to implement these strategies? For remote or hybrid teams, having an agile intranet is crucial. Confluence is a globally popular knowledge-sharing platform, but to take workplace living to the next level, you need an add-on to Confluence: Mantra Intranet.
Why?
Because Mantra lets you create all these groups online, ensuring no one feels isolated.
Instead, everyone feels seen, valued, and motivated.
Here’s how you can do it!
Mantra Intranet is an advanced solution designed to enhance Confluence, transforming it into a social hub for your organization. It’s more than just an intranet; it’s a platform that fosters community, streamlines communication, and makes collaboration effortless.
Key Features of Mantra Intranet:
Personalized Dashboards: Tailor your workspace with news feeds, posts, events, and updates that matter to you.
People Directory and Skill Finder: Easily find colleagues with specific expertise or interests, strengthening cross-departmental collaboration.
Events Management: Organize and promote company events, ensuring everyone is in the loop.
Custom Navigation and Branding: Customize the look and feel to match your corporate identity, making the platform an integrated part of your organization.
Post section: Ask a question, share feedback, create a poll or give honor whom honor is due. Here, you can create and interact with your colleagues.
One of the standout features of Mantra Intranet is its ability to build and nurture communities within your organization.
Mantra Communities are based on Confluence spaces and serve as interactive forums. From project teams to interest groups (like rowing a boat), Mantra Communities are the hub where collaboration and company culture thrive. You can customize each community with a fully editable home page, creating spaces that fit your team’s unique needs.
You can even convert existing Confluence spaces into communities, enhancing their usability and making it easier for team members to join or leave as they wish. This flexibility ensures that everyone can engage with the content and conversations that matter most to them, creating a sense of belonging and improving internal communication.
Creating and managing communities in Mantra Intranet is straightforward, designed to enhance collaboration and engagement. Here’s how you can get started and make the most of this feature:
Accessing the Community Dashboard: Navigate to the ‘Communities’ section from the sidebar. Here, you’ll find an overview of existing communities and an option to create new ones.
Create a Community: If you have the necessary permissions, click on ‘Create Community’ in the top right corner. Choose between creating a new Confluence space or using an existing one. This allows you to seamlessly integrate communities into your current setup.
Customize Your Community:
Community Type: Select between Public, Moderated, or Private communities. Each type offers different levels of access:
Public: Open to all users for content creation and interaction.
Moderated: Open for viewing, but only selected members can create content.
Private: Accessible only to users added by the community admin.
Details and Design: Add a name, description, category, and location to give your community a clear identity. You can also upload a logo and a header image to personalize the space.
Navigate to Your Community: Click on the community you wish to edit, and then select the cog icon in the top right to access community settings.
Customize the Dashboard: Use the Community Editor to adjust what appears on the dashboard. Add, remove, or rearrange modules like Links, Posts, News, Events, and more to tailor the experience for your community members.
Manage Members: Within the community settings, you can view and manage users. Assign roles such as Admin, Member, or Follower, to control access and participation levels. Admins can make changes to settings and add users, members can create content, and followers can view and interact with the community content.
Mantra’s Community Feature offers dynamic ways to keep members connected and engaged. Share posts and updates to keep everyone in the loop on the latest news, project milestones, and team accomplishments. Use customizable sections like Tabs and Links to organize key resources, making them easily accessible to community members. You can also create and join events tailored to your group’s interests, fostering interaction and strengthening the sense of community. This interactive approach ensures that your community remains vibrant and well-informed.
This article highlights the significance of fostering communities in the workplace. These communities aren’t just an optional extra; they’re crucial for your employees’ well-being and your company’s overall success.
With tools like Mantra Intranet, fostering this sense of community becomes easier, even in a remote or hybrid work setup. By encouraging open communication, recognizing achievements, and supporting diverse interactions, you can cultivate a workplace where everyone is aligned and ready to tackle challenges together.
Remember, when you build a thriving community, you’re not just improving collaboration—you’re enhancing the entire work experience. So, grab those oars and start rowing together toward a more connected and productive future!
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