Strong connections are key to ‘new normal’ ways of working 

And we’re not talking about your wi-fi

I was recently looking at a banner in my home office that was made when we first launched The Intime Collective which reads ‘wellbeing at home, wellbeing at work’. 

Back then (well before COVID) this was something that had to be explained. I’d enter meetings armed with research and data to substantiate the correlation between the two.

Now, with the blurring of space and time, work and life, it really has become obvious.

I no longer need to substantiate the ‘why’ because organisational leaders have seen it first-hand, thanks to months of lockdowns and teams working remotely.

Working from home – and now moving to ‘hybrid’ environments – has taken its toll on our connections, both in the workplace and in our personal lives. 

In fact, relationship issues are one of the key reasons organisations are seeing high EAP utilisation rates. And with the long waiting lists for relationship and therapeutic support, the pressure is building. 

The conversation that now needs to happen is how. How can we intentionally build great relationships? 

There is much that is out of our control at the moment, but this isn’t one of those things. 

Yes, technology can connect us in the literal sense. But cultivating positive relationships is a skill, no different to learning to write as a child, which is fine-tuned with practice over time.

Think about what you would ‘teach’ someone else if they asked for your tips on how to go about building strong relationships:

How do you communicate? 

If there’s an issue at home, what words do you use intentionally to raise the issue with your partner?

(Did you know that in a conflict situation, the way you bring up an issue in the first three minutes is going to determine the outcome? It’s so important to get the start right!)

What thinking ‘traps’ get in the way of building the fulfilling relationships you want to have? Do you blame others? Blame yourself? Catastrophise? 

How do you know when your stress language is talking? Or your partner’s, or colleagues’?

How do you navigate work, co-parenting and your relationship at home? How do you have these deliberate conversations so you don’t fall into certain roles by default?

Strong relationships, and importantly, the skills needed to sustain these, underpin how teams work, how leaders serve, how work gets done and how hearts are filled.

There’s more to remote and hybrid working than providing the right IT systems and creating rosters of who’s coming into the office on which days.

Leaders must now look at what needs to be done proactively to refocus and fortify professional and personal relationships both at an individual level, and at a collective and broader organisational level. 

The Intime Collective equips individuals, teams and leaders with the practical tools to embrace strong, meaningful and respectful relationships. 

Because we know that engaged employees are central to organisational performance, and a person’s personal and professional relationships are key to how they show up at work – and in life.

Could your workplace benefit from one of our tailored programs? Let’s chat – send me an email at hello@theintimecollective.com