Employees today are questioning their relationship with their employers more than ever. The pandemic showed the value of remote work and independence in the workplace. Research continues to come out that affirms the value of happy and health workers. And more and more employees are finding themselves dissatisfied with the places they work within.
In response, businesses and employers have taken several approaches to remedy this disconnect. One of these approaches revolves around the work spaces employees work within. For many employers, it’s not feasible to raise wages or provide more extensive benefits, the top request of any worker. However, sometimes making work itself a more pleasant experience can act as a substitute.
Most specifically, some modern businesses have opted to really affirm the community aspect of the workplace. This isn’t a new thought, as the turn of the century saw many businesses trying to promote a “work family”. The difference today is that these attempts are a lot more earnest. Now instead of forced work events and team building exercises, businesses are hosting genuinely interesting social events.
Typically these events will consist of communal lunches, happy hours, and other interesting social experiences. These events aren’t celebrating a milestone for the company or a holiday, they simply are meant to be pleasant fun experiences for those involved. Businesses will rent out a hotel, bar, or restaurant and employees will have a more genuine reason to connect and get to know each other.
Loneliness is pervasive in U.S adults at large, let alone those working in more traditional office contexts. Yet it’s events like these that can start to reaffirm the value of the workplace in people’s lives. More and more there is a disconnect between professional and personal life. This is important in many ways, but ultimately people spend so much of their lives at work. It’s important that employees feel respected and connected in those contexts.
Learn more about the overall impact of coworking in NYC and building communities through coworking below.
