Connection is the foundation of thriving teams. Whether your team works remotely, in person, or somewhere in between, fostering genuine relationships isn’t just a “nice-to-have”—it’s the glue that holds everything together. When people feel truly seen and valued, they show up with more energy, creativity, and commitment. The challenge is figuring out how to bring people back together in a way that feels meaningful, especially when the demands of work keep pulling us in a million directions.
Why Connection Matters
Research consistently shows that strong team connections drive better outcomes for both employees and organizations. According to Gallup, employees who feel engaged are 23% more productive and contribute to 21% higher profitability. Engaged teams are also 59% less likely to leave their organization, saving companies billions in turnover and lost productivity annually.
The benefits go beyond numbers:
- Innovation thrives when trust is high. Employees are more likely to share bold ideas when they feel safe and connected.
- Burnout decreases in environments where team members support and understand one another. A recent McKinsey report highlights that connected teams experience fewer stress-related absences.
For younger employees, the stakes are even higher. Many Millennials and Gen Z workers, who began their careers in remote or hybrid roles, lack opportunities to form in-person relationships, build trust, or experience mentorship. Bringing teams together offers these groups critical learning experiences, strengthens their sense of belonging, and allows them to connect with the company’s lived values.
Imagine a company that found their turnover rate among junior employees was alarmingly high. By introducing a structured mentorship program combined with quarterly in-person retreats, they improved retention by 35% and saw a measurable increase in cross-department collaboration.Connection is about being seen, heard, acknowledged and appreciated.
LAKSHMI RENGARAJAN
WEWORK’S DIRECTOR OF WORKPLACE CONNECTION
We couldn’t agree more with Lakshmi's quote, so we’re sharing some ideas of what real connection building looks like.
Rebuilding Connection
Practical Steps
Bringing your team together doesn’t have to mean an elaborate offsite or a packed agenda of icebreakers. It’s about creating intentional spaces where people can share, collaborate, and re-establish trust. Here are a few ways to foster genuine connection.
Recognize the Present Reality
How do team members prefer to interact, connect and collaborate now? Social and economic pressures have reshaped how we collaborate. Start by listening with empathy. Teams today look different than they did a few years ago, and dynamics have shifted. Ask questions and listen to what your team members need now.
For example, maybe you had a rather brusque manager who only had a little time. Now he works alone from home and is interested in connecting but isn’t sure of the best approach when he can’t just drop by someone’s office and get some support to improve his communication style. Or maybe your events coordinator is now juggling two toddlers, reduced daycare hours and a new puppy. You used to enjoy luxuriously long coffee chats. And while she still wants to connect, she’d appreciate getting down to business while she has childcare coverage.
Pitfall to Avoid: Assuming that what worked before will still work now. Team-building efforts need to reflect the realities of today’s workplace, not the past.
Acknowledged And Appreciated
Take Time To Integrate New People Into The Team
Recently, one of a client's executive teams had someone new join their team. We chose to spend 30 min of our monthly 2-hour meeting welcoming and celebrating the new team member. We went around the group, and each person shared a bit about themselves personally and professionally and what they loved about the group.
Our new member felt truly seen, heard and welcomed. She learned a lot about each person’s role and experiences and how she might leverage them. She also got a good feel for the culture and norms of the group. Because of the time spent and genuine connection made, the level of trust remained high, and the team was able to continue as a high-performing team.
Set A Vision Together
A visioning session is a wonderful chance to inspire, motivate and create buy-in about where you’re headed and how you’ll get there. You could break up into small groups and explore what’s working and what’s not. Come together to arrive at a strategy for moving forward, think through priorities, and consider team dependencies and work output. A shared vision doesn’t just keep people aligned—it inspires. Employees who feel their contributions matter are 4.6x more likely to be highly engaged.
Pro tip: Break into smaller groups to discuss specific priorities, then reconvene to consolidate insights and build a unified strategy.
Agree On Expectations
With workloads increasing and boundaries blurring, it’s crucial to have honest conversations about how work will get done while maintaining balance.
Discussion points to consider:
- How do we handle deadlines while prioritizing mental health?
- What does saying "no" or setting boundaries look like in practice?
Include some deep listening, sharing, and some learning about how to support one another, how to set boundaries, when to say no, and what practicing self-care looks like. These conversations not only reduce misunderstandings but also strengthen trust and alignment.
Imagine a company that implemented a "Friday Flex" policy after listening to team concerns. This allowed employees to schedule deep-focus work or take personal time on Friday afternoons, leading to a 20% drop in burnout reports.
Creating Opportunities for In-Person Interaction
While hybrid work has its benefits, in-person gatherings remain crucial for building trust. Research from McKinsey found that 70% of employees prefer face-to-face interactions for complex discussions and feedback. Start small: Quarterly team-building events or informal meetups can help bridge the gap and give people a chance to reconnect naturally.
Generational Insight: For Gen Z, in-person experiences are a chance to develop soft skills, identify mentors, and form meaningful connections with peers and leaders.
The Ripple Effect of Connection
When teams are connected, the benefits go far beyond individual relationships. Strong connections:
- Create a culture of support, making employees more resilient in challenging times.
- Foster innovation by encouraging bold ideas.
- Strengthen retention by aligning personal values with company goals.
Organizations that prioritize connection report 33% higher revenue growth and stronger employee loyalty, according to a Deloitte study. The only question left is ask is...are you ready to reconnect?
If you’d like help with the design, planning, and/or facilitation of a day designed to help your team members feel seen, heard, acknowledged and appreciated, we’d be happy to help with off-the-shelf options or something completely customized with different topics and modalities.
