Why Connection is the Lifeline of Modern Work

Connection is the thread that weaves teams into cohesive, resilient units. It’s the difference between coasting and excelling.

CONTEXT

Connection is what makes your team cohesive and more productive in collaboration. I’m sure we can all agree: meaningful exchange only happens when a collective is being intentional about people. And haven’t we all been in companies where that is not the case… and (hopefully) walked away?

An executive told me once that culture was an “HR problem”... I vehemently disagree. Connection isn’t about forcing a “big happy family.” It’s about creating environments where trust and belonging prevail—or risk losing your people to apathy.

Historian and philosopher Yuval Noah Harari tells us in his book “Sapiens” that humans are unable to create and sustain connections in groups larger than 150 people. Only shared stories and cultural narratives enable collaborations at scale.

In the work context, this means that company culture isn’t a perk, but a necessity for aligning hundreds or thousands toward a common purpose. 

This becomes especially crucial if we look at the rise of remote work (we have an entire rubric on remote work on EmpowerSphere). Without random encounters and coffee chats, leaders must reimagine how culture is built. As Rich Cober, PhD, Managing VP at Gartner, notes, “Hybrid work requires intentionality—but the strong ties we build remotely can be profoundly healthy.”

METHOD

In the workplace, there are generally 3 types of connections:

• Colleague-to-Colleague

• Employee-to-Leader

• Individual-to-Company

All of these are subject to change, as you go through seasons of life. For instance, you might have a stronger need for colleague connections as you build your social circle in a new city or at the beginning of your career. At a later stage, you might not have that need anymore. 

To cultivate culture, a workspace needs to be intentional about:

• Trust: Do teams feel safe to take risks?

  • It all starts with open conversations about risks and problems. Based on my experience and discussions with friends, weak culture companies often shy away from discussing problems and marginalize those who bring them up.

• Belonging: Are voices from any team or background heard and celebrated, not silenced?

• Weak & Strong Ties: Close friendships (strong ties) fuel support, while casual acquaintances (weak ties) spark innovation. Both matter.

Evaluate your workplace: Do these principles exist? If not, can you drive change?

Take your own role and responsibility seriously and practice intention.

If you can’t... Maybe it is time to consider a change. 

And believe me, I have really struggled with admitting that often enough. There comes a point in time, where it is an act of self-respect to admit to a lack of connection and cut ties. Life is just too short.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

In a world where work can feel transactional, connection is the antidote.

When employers and employees struggle with lagging engagement, rapid and constant change, and a general lack of trust, getting workplace connections right is a business imperative.

Harari’s lesson endures: Stories unite us. In the age of remote work, connection isn’t just nice to have. It’s the difference between coasting and excelling.

What are your views? How do you build stronger connections in the workplace?

Resources

https://hbr.org/2024/10/what-employers-get-wrong-about-how-people-connect-at-work

https://www.apa.org/topics/healthy-workplaces/fostering-connection