It’s imperative to foster community and connection among employees in order to retain your top talent. Strong connection and communication are both conducive and necessary for top talent to perform well and stay loyal to their roles.
As companies continue to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of work, both hybrid and remote workplace models remain popular solutions. 74% of companies in the US are currently using or are planning to implement a permanent hybrid work model for their employees (source: Zippia). And as companies continue to establish implementation of these newer work models, much of the discussions among HR Executives has been about supporting these new workplace arrangements by fostering communication and connection among employees.
Leaders must empower and motivate their employees to collaborate and connect virtually for the following reasons:
Human connection elevates performance: Consistent contact with colleagues and leadership is vital for employee performance. When genuine connections are made, employees can effectively combine their knowledge and skills to achieve results.
Human connection drives innovation: Communication and collaboration allows colleagues to share and learn from one another. Teams with diverse perspectives promote strategic thought, increasing performance, innovation and advancement.
Human connection enables career growth: A connected team inspires creativity and helps employees become better professionals, resulting in them growing within the organization.
If supporting and fostering healthy communication and connection is not at the forefront of companies’ shifting priorities, the results will be detrimental. Lack of connection and communication can lead to misunderstandings, missed opportunities, low morale, lack of motivation, poor performance and lack of loyalty – resulting in greater rates of turnover.
It’s time to rethink your strategy and we’re here to help!
Here are some Premier Strategies to Create Connection to Retain Top Talent in a Hybrid / Remote Workplaces:
- Schedule Weekly Meetings: Consistent weekly calls allow employees to collectively discuss wins, challenges or ideas that they wish to share with their colleagues. Use this time to discuss beauty trends, have team members share a relevant beauty article and create brainstorming strategies as a team. Having this weekly call scheduled for the same day and time is crucial so employees know that they have a consistent space to engage and share with their team
- Host Digital Coffee or Lunch Hour: Have morning coffee scheduled for 15 minutes weekly to give anyone working remotely a chance to log in to see who’s in the office and to chat and connect with their team – even if just for a few minutes. Virtual lunches are a great idea too. Employees can also use this time to share podcasts that inspire and motivate. In both scenarios, the goal is to ensure those working remotely and in-office staff stay connected on a deeper level.
- Host Virtual Co-Working Sessions: A high-impact activity that hybrid teams should consider is a weekly virtual co-working session. Get the team together to work “side-by-side.” Having team members work together in this virtual office environment creates an opportunity to ask spontaneous questions and provide encouragement and support in a more organic way than a formal check-in or meeting.
- Open Your Next Meeting to Children and Pets: It’s difficult to orchestrate meetings online with colleagues that feel informal and fun. Consider changing things by inviting team members to bring their kids or pets to a social call. This is a great ice breaker and allows team members to get to understand and relate to one another about being a pet owner or parent on a deeper level.
- Virtual Show and Tell: Allow employees to take turns presenting an item or hobby of theirs, explaining its significance to them. This activity provides a platform for team members to express themselves authentically and engage in genuine conversations beyond work-related discussions. This is both engaging and fun and reinforces the idea that every individual’s contribution both in and outside of work contributes to the richness and diversity of the team’s collective experience.
We hope you found these Premier tips helpful. Join our Network! Follow @Premier Executive Recruiting on LinkedIn to receive the latest beauty trends, statistics, interview tips, and career opportunities on a weekly basis as we keep you informed of the evolving beauty industry.
