How to bring people again together

Companies have a disconnection problem: use shared experiences to bring people together again. Even before the recent pandemic scattered teams and disrupted daily interactions, people felt disconnected at work. According to a2019 employees survey, 40 percent of respondents reported feeling "physically and emotionally isolated in the workspace," a phenomenon that "spanned generations, genders, and ethnicities." Of course, the Covid 19 pandemic exacerbated this trend. Health and safety protocols, remote and hybrid work arrangements, and other factors have left companies with a severe disconnection problem. The consequences can be devastating and far-reaching. One recent analysis revealed that 61 percent of people don't socialise with coworkers outside of work, 53 percent dread work because of their coworkers, and 38 percent don't trust their coworkers. According to one report, when employees feel less connected at work--specifically to leaders--burnout increases by 90 percent. Meanwhile, employees desperately desire a more connected workplace. A recent study discovered that 54 percent of employees want more friends at work. Incredibly, the study found that a similar amount would "trade some of their compensation for more meaningful relationships with colleagues."

Shared Experiences Bring People Together

Shared experiences are the beginning of every relationship: families are forged as they support day-to-day living, classmates bond over their mutual academic engagement, and teammates develop relationships as they pursue a common goal. While leaders don't want to create unnecessary hardship for their teams, adventure experiences can simulate this effect, creating opportunities for connections that don't exist in the office. In many cases, the more remarkable the experience, the more impactful it will be for participants. When implemented effectively, shared adventure experiences help teams cultivate emotional safety and relational connection as once-unfamiliar employees become acquainted with people's habits, emotional cues, and interpersonal qualities. Shared experiences are so powerful that they can rapidly create cohesion in previously disconnected teams, serving as a potent tool for leaders looking to urgently improve workplace culture.