Build it.
Elizabeth (Liz) Gulliver
Our business is your people. We elevate employee experience and drive retention & performance.
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Four years. That’s how long it took for me to feel like I’m truly part of the community at my kid’s school. It’s not that I wasn’t involved before - I went to events, volunteered when I could, made small talk with other parents. But it wasn’t until this school year that I felt like I was part of it. I know people now, not just by name, but by their stories. I feel comfortable, I know how I can contribute.
We all want that feeling. Even your employees crave a sense of community. Check out any study, it’s always top 3 on the things we want at work. But building community takes a long time. It takes intention, commitment, and a whole lot of effort
When it comes to work, ‘Community’ might sound fluffy. Maybe you think your CEO thinks it’s BS. But the numbers tell a different story. A fresh report from Atlassian showed that the majority of enterprise leaders say their orgs are struggling with productivity and collaboration. They also say collaboration, culture, and retention are their top priorities. How can you solve for any of that without community?
To build a thriving org, you have to connect your people. A bonded workforce is an engaged workforce. And an engaged workforce is a high-performing workforce. Think about your own life. When you feel connected to a group, you’re more likely to go above and beyond for them. When employees feel like they belong, they’re more engaged, more motivated, and more likely to stick around. That leads to higher performance, better collaboration, and improved profitability.
Building that connection requires deliberate effort. If you’ve ever been new to a school, you know that. You have to create opportunities for people to interact, share experiences, and build trust. If our teams aren’t naturally going to build these relationships on their own—and most won’t—it’s up to leaders to do it.
And it’s worth doing it. On average, teams report a 30% increase in feelings of connection following intentional team gatherings. That connection boost directly impacts how teams work together, and the positive effects can last for months.
Recently I’ve been seeing a (micro) trend - established online communities and cohorts are struggling/shutting down because they haven’t been able to sustain that sense of connection. It’s a reminder that community doesn’t just happen. It’s built over time, through shared experiences, consistent interactions, and the cultivation of trust.
So how can you help build community within your team? Start by creating spaces— physical and virtual—where people can connect. Encourage cross-team collaboration on projects. Lead by example. Show your team that you value relationships and are committed to building a supportive, inclusive environment.
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In today’s world, where efficiency and performance are top of mind, it’s easy to overlook the importance of community. But a strong community is a powerful lever for success. It’s what turns a group of individuals into a cohesive, high-performing unit. If you’re focused on driving results, this is where you start.
Take time. Be intentional. If you build it, they will come.
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CEO, Giving Children Hope | Speaker-Consultant-Coach on Life, Leadership, and Culture | Kunik Expert
4moYou build community by doing things together. The more challenging the project is, the more people bond. When you have to live with people while under stress, you learn quickly how much you can trust people. Difficult tasks grow people and grow communities. In an educational setting, we started HS freshman out with "Formation Weekend". We put kids on teams with people they didn't know, dividing academic, artistic, and athletic talent. Then we put them through 3 days of artistic, academic, and athletic team challenges--including morning physical training with Navy SEALs. The kids bonded deeply, and 20 years later are still super tight. It get's better. We intentionally put the parents through a gauntlet. While their kids were on campus getting tested, a lot of moms were in the parking lot for hours, watching social media, worried that their kids would pass out in a hot gym (it was safe). We gave them things to do. We made them wait and worry together. And they bonded quickly. Decades later these families are SUPER close.
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4moThanks for sharing