One of the most profound changes from Covid was the rapid adoption of remote working. So much so, that some businesses implemented policies allowing their staff to work remotely, indefinitely.  While the initial appeal of remote work is the increased freedom, the lesser-known, and rarely spoken of, downside, is that after the endless online meetings,  the real human connection between work colleagues is lost.  As a result, businesses are finding it increasingly difficult to create an engaged and motivated working community. 

This sense of community is very important and correlates directly to the quality of work delivered. According to a 2021 study by Deloitte Consulting, feeling like “you belong” can lead to a 56% increase in job performance, a 50% reduction in turnover risk, and a 75% decrease in sick days. Considering that the average person typically works from 9am -5pm which is 8 hours a day. Doing this for 40 years means that (if you do the maths) we typically spend 14 full years at work. 

Given the choice, how would you like to spend those years? 

With this in mind, EFMP Belgian partners Impact Sales and Marketing brought on Tom Borms who is their Community and Strategy Manager. Tom is responsible for creating an inclusive and engaging  company culture that reflects a positive workplace.

According to the Society for Human Resources, belonging is the “feeling of security and support” when there is a sense of acceptance. It’s a basic human requirement and appears right in the middle of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

The benefit of positive working environment is that the teams are more motivated. Employees who are engaged are the perfect brand ambassadors for your business. Once they have a sense of  belonging,  they are more likely to share this through their social channels.

In order to create a good corporate community, you need to: 

• Host work get-togethers: The easiest way to create a sense of community within a workplace is to have events outside of work where people can get to know each other socially.

• Corporate social responsibility ventures: Sharing a belief in a common cause can unite people very quickly. Organising volunteering initiatives for various social causes creates opportunities for  employees to bond over their beliefs and sentiments. It also enhances the corporate social responsibility image of the business.

• Encouragement of diverse perspectives: All employees feel the need for their views and work to be recognised. 

• Communicate the targets, values, and culture of the organisations. While this may seem obvious, articulating this brings it in to focus and creates real clarity for employees.

• Give recognition to teams that achieve goals.

• Develop an open-door policy at your company. Give people an opportunity to give feedback, make suggestions and be problem-solvers.

During the past years, Impact Sales & Marketing Belux has grown significantly as a business but at the core of what has fuelled this growth, is their people. Their goal is to make Impact Sales and Marketing an engaging community where people want to spend their time during their working career.