A Community Worth Belonging To
By Jason Hall and Alison Nordstrom
Feeling a sense of connection with other people is a fundamental and deeply ingrained human motivator. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, it falls squarely in the middle of the pyramid as a psychological need, ranking above basic physical needs like food, shelter, and safety, and below self-fulfillment needs. The desire to belong to a community is something most humans seek, and since we spend so much time at work, fostering a community with colleagues is essential.
In last year’s Midwest Law Firm Office Benchmarking Study, JLL presented data and analysis gathered from 40+ prominent law firms in the region, reporting an interesting set of motivations and priorities around the design of the legal workplace. Among the data presented was an explanation of four experiential drivers in legal workplace design. The number one answer to the question “What do attorneys want from the workplace?” was to feel like they are a part of something bigger, emphasizing the importance of connection and belonging in workplace culture.
Creating and maintaining a sense of connection at work is difficult when working remotely, and the hangover of remote work over the last few years might explain why it’s first on the list. We believe that the intentional design of physical workplaces, along with policies and tools to enhance interpersonal behaviors, can go a long way in creating a community worth belonging to at work.
Dave Revis dives into challenges associated from remote work in Community Based Design in the Workplace. According to the article, the rise of remote and hybrid work fundamentally changed corporate cultures and communications among employees. “With many working remotely or less frequently in the office, feelings of isolation and disconnection [from fellow employees and from the organizations they work for] … increased.”
“The highest and best use of the office is to strengthen social cohesion,” say Jan Johnson and Yong In in Four Keys to Thriving Workers and Successful Organizations. Since building connections and being invested in each other are just easier in person, creating community-centric spaces to foster collaboration and inclusion should be the goal for any workplace design. Further, “a tech and resource-rich space is the optimal place to do complex transformational activities: problem-solving, idea generation, process improvement, etc. … [and] enables rebuilding interpersonal connections that foster interdependence and a sense of belonging.” (Johnson, In)
Beyond providing spaces for complex activities, the workplace should also provide meaningful and memorable experiences. “The office can be seen as a social gathering and event space hosting activities that enhance… well-being, learning, and creativity” (Johnson, In), encouraging new rituals aimed at drawing people together to celebrate, share, and grow. “These experiences can help employees feel more connected to their organization, their colleagues, and their work.”
Workplaces should also provide opportunities for employees to engage with the organization they work for. Intentionally and authentically designing spaces that reinforce the organization’s culture and purpose engages employees in that culture and purpose. According to the Leesman Index, “there are statistical relationships between a company’s purpose, workplace function, and the spatial form (office design).” (Johnson, In) Aligning the physical environment with the organization creates spaces that reflect and engage employees with that organization’s identity.
The design of any new workplace must be flexible, allowing for modifications based on feedback from users. As organizations experiment and adjust to new work dynamics, designing adaptable spaces and allowing employees agency over how and where they work become crucial for ensuring ongoing community engagement.
Research underscores the benefits of community-focused workplace design: employees who feel connected to their workplace community are more likely to stay with an employer long-term, with studies showing that such employees are 55% more likely to remain with their company. Strong social connections are essential for effective teamwork, and make taking risks and exchanging ideas easier. They increase employee resilience, reduce stress, and contribute to better employee health. The benefits of creating a community worth belonging to at work are clear, for employees and stakeholders, and for the organization itself.