Enhancing Connection at Work Can Improve Retention

August 06, 2024 | Kelsey Tillema, Allison Budzinski

Positive and plentiful social connections have long been linked to positive health and well-being. More recently, connections within the workplace have been examined and associated with positive outcomes, which is critical since employed adults spend half their waking lives working or participating in work-related activities.

The Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being defines the concept of workplace connection as “networks and relationships that can offer physical and psychological help, and can mitigate feelings of loneliness and isolation,” as well as “the feeling of being an accepted member of a group.” Strategies for Enhancing Governmental Public Health Workforce Well-being and Retention highlights the importance of connections specifically for public health staff and includes survey data linking poor organizational culture to public health agency disengagement and turnover.

Connections with colleagues serve a dual purpose in public health. Strong connections correlate with feelings of belonging and reduced reports of burn-out. But they also lead to enhanced communication and collaboration, which translate into effective and efficient service delivery and program implementation for communities.

Leaders Cultivate Inclusive Connections

Leaders play a pivotal role in fostering positive connections between their team members. A recent study emphasizes “the importance of the workplace as an appropriate and effective context for reducing employee loneliness by targeting supervisor/leader social support.” Equipping leaders with the knowledge and tools to combat employee isolation is essential. Leaders can support staff-led connections with calendar blocks for the team to get to know one another through virtual or in-person coffee chats, mentor/mentee programs, community volunteering, employee engagement teams, walks, or body doubling sessions to complete tasks. Leaders should model inclusive connections equally across the team and not forgo the meeting icebreaker or space for small talk.

Workplace connection is not synonymous with the sentiment, “we are like family here,” which raises red flags across industries. Leaders must be mindful of facilitating—but not forcing—inclusive connection. Flexible opportunities for colleagues to bond, while maintaining work-life boundaries and work-life balance is key. Teams should also be aware of potential pitfalls of workplace friendships that are exclusionary or create inequities in the workplace. Agencies must equip team leaders with the necessary training and coaching to identify, address, and dismantle different dimensions of workplace bullying.

Remote and Hybrid Connection Considerations

As organizations continue to utilize hybrid or fully virtual work policies, it’s important to consider the implications surrounding employee connection and relationship-building. While remote work has its perks, there are some downsides. USA Today reports that the top challenge of working from home, reported by 34% of remote workers, is “feeling isolated from your team at work.”

Having both remote and in-person employees can make it difficult to develop workplace relationships and collaboration opportunities. With intentionality, it can be done.

One such model for connection has been recently implemented by the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CDPH), one of ASTHO’s PH-HERO members. When onboarding new staff into their hybrid work environment, CDPH began placing cohorts of new hires with tenured employees into Microsoft Teams groups. This provided a sense of virtual community for new staff to connect with each other and their new colleagues, as well as the ability to reach out and ask general questions when needed during their first few weeks.

“Not only does the program provide much needed connection for new staff in those critical first weeks at the agency, but also has allowed seasoned staff an opportunity to engage newer staff in a way that makes them feel reconnected in a way they haven’t really felt since the pandemic began,” says Tom St. Louis, director of public health workforce development at CDPH. Recognizing the need for connection, collaboration, and general camaraderie in any workplace setting is crucial to making all feel welcomed and valued.

Measuring Connection and Retention

Surveys, focus groups, and exit interviews encourage employee feedback and can be helpful when measuring the relationship between connection and retention. Agencies may incorporate data into their strategic plans to promote workplace well-being and retention initiatives.

The Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PHWINS) is the only national survey of the public health workforce that measures strengths and gaps related to training, funding, recruitment, and retention. The most recent data available from 2021 shows that poor organizational culture and lack of connection is a known driver of employee disengagement and turnover, presenting a threat to public health agencies' operational readiness.

Staying in tune with employees’ perceptions of organizational culture, psychological safety, appreciation, accessibility, and belonging are all important factors when it comes to retention. PHWINS and other survey tools related to employee engagement and retention are crucial to giving staff a voice and keeping a pulse on the inner workings of agency culture.

Conclusion

In public health, fostering strong connections and promoting retention among professionals are crucial to helping a workplace thrive. By nurturing relationships, creating a supportive environment, and prioritizing employee well-being, public health organizations can enhance teamwork, boost morale, and achieve greater success in their mission to improve community health outcomes. A connected and engaged workforce is not only more productive, but also more resilient in the face of challenges, making it essential for long-term sustainability.

For more resources or ideas related to engaging and connecting the workforce to aid in retention strategies, visit ASTHO’s PH-HERO Workforce Resource Center.