At Aduro, our teams have always included people who work remotely — either across town or across time zones — so we have some experience managing our relationships and our business through technology. But for many companies, adapting to the remote-working realities brought on by COVID-19 is a major challenge. And, truthfully, how we care for the well-being of our people at Aduro is also a work in progress. We’re learning right along with you.
The challenges of working from home can manifest in several ways, and it might bring to mind the old saying, “Be careful what you wish for.” Suddenly, you have to manage your work and family life in the same space. The rhythm and structure of your day that used to be determined by a commute, staff meetings, sales calls and the like, now requires some intentionality. It’s great to be with the family and it can be hard to focus on your work. Both of these things can be true at the same time.
It can also be true that a sense of disconnection may arise, or that a situation riddled with unknowns might cause anxiety. The connection and camaraderie of coworkers can be sorely missed in ways that you wouldn’t have anticipated. It turns out those little check-in chats at the coffee machine were more than just small talk after all. It’s not news that our chance encounters and informal conversations in the hallways are hugely important. The news is that we miss them as much as we do.
One thing we know for sure is that our need for genuine social connection and honest conversation increases even more when working remotely. I would say this is doubly true during these stressful times.
As a result, our team at Aduro has created daily, non-work opportunities for social connection via live videoconferencing. Anyone on our team who wants to connect can join in. Here is our current schedule:
- Monday: 8:00 am – 10-15-minute group intention setting for the week
- Tuesday: 12:45 pm – 15-minute live walking group
- Wednesday: 2:00 pm – 20 pushups, together via videoconference or on your own – we will all get stronger together!
- Thursday: 1:00 pm – 1-15-minute live Mindful Moment
- Friday: 9:30 am – 45-minute all company meeting via videoconference
Something else we do to maintain our social connection with each other: We start meetings with a well-being check-in or a “mindful moment,” giving anyone who would like to share something the space to do so.
How has your team maintained its social connection? We’d love to hear your ideas.