I remember a time when we used to be really good at connection. We had no issues with connecting with people from all walks of life, whether it was a friendly “morning” between coworkers before the business day started, chatting with the boss before a staff meeting in the boardroom, meeting a friend for coffee and a long-overdue catch up at a local café, keeping in touch with distant family over social media or taking the kids to visit their grandparents.

It’s sad to say, but those days are long gone now, and we have to work hard to reconnect and make new connections. We have lost our ability to connect, and our company’s previous strong business culture is wavering, and more people are choosing to work from home rather than come into the office. A strong company culture is key to attaining and retaining skilled staff, so it’s no wonder business owners and leaders are concerned about the future of their organisation.

The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns have put a stop to how we used to communicate and connect with others. We’ve seen communities, businesses and people across the globe lose their ability to connect with friends, family, acquaintances, employees and employers. It used to be so easy to be able to communicate with someone else, but isolation, border closures, financial struggles and mental health concerns have made it even harder.

But that’s not to say that we can’t bounce back. Because we can. We can reconnect with our family, friends, employers and employees. We are now facing The Great Reconnection, which means we have to put in the hard yards if we are to be able to go back to the way things were connection-wise. I think the problem stems from the fact that many people have forgotten how to connect with others while locked down during the pandemic.

I am calling on business owners and leaders to reinvent the way they communicate to colleagues and employees. We need to change and accept change so that we can move forward and rebuild our company cultures and ensure that we have a large talent pool for recruitment. Great communication is absolutely vital to the survival of any business, small, medium or large.

Check out some of my tips on how you can survive The Great Reconnection.

1. Revamp Your Communication Techniques – We all have different ways of communicating as a business owner, leader and a human being. Our communication methods may be similar or completely different to other people. If you think you’re going the wrong way about communicating to an employer or employee, you just might be right. A good way to see if you need to change the way you communicate is hold a staff meeting where you can have a chat with your employees or a face-to-face chat with each staff member. Ask them what you can do better and if they have any feedback. Remember, constructive feedback is good and can help you to become a better boss.
2. Rebuild Your Company Culture – Your company culture refers to the behaviours, values and attitudes of a company and its employees, as well as the decisions they make. It is an integral part of any and every business. You need to work on rebuilding or building a company culture that everyone feels a part of. If you have happy and positive employees who enjoy working at your company, you will see an increase in productivity.
3. Value and Inspire – Making sure your employees feel valued and inspired is vital when it comes to attaining and retaining employees. Your employees have spent the last two years in lockdown and isolated from work colleagues. They want to return to a workplace and a work environment where they know they will feel appreciated.
4. Kindness and Empathy – Make sure you treat your employees with the same kindness and empathy you would like to receive from them. Kindness and Empathy have become a big thing for people looking for jobs and to start a career. People have spent too long locked down in this pandemic that they are now more likely to leave if they are unhappy with their boss or colleagues.

It will take time, but I know that if we put the wheels in motion, we will come out of this COVID-19 pandemic stronger and more resilient when it comes to connection and communication. It will be hard to reconnect with people at first, but it will soon become simple again like it was in the past. We need to keep moving forward and in order for that to happen, reconnection must happen. So, I am urging our leaders and business owners to do what it takes to reconnect with their employees and rebuild their company culture – it’s vital for the survival of the business.

Tell me what you are doing to reconnect better with employees and employers.

By Sonia McDonald

Founder and Managing Director of Leadership HQ and McDonald Inc. Leadership coach, entrepreneur, CEO and author. 

Sonia McDonald is changing the face of leadership across the globe. She believes we should lead with kindness and courage, from the heart, and is known for her mantra ‘Just Lead’. She leads by example in all these areas and through her transformational coaching, leadership training programs and cultural transformation for organisations and encourages others to do the same. Sonia has helped thousands of people on their leadership journey to become the best version of themselves and in turn, inspire and bring out the best in others.

Sonia is a founder and CEO of McDonald Inc., LeadershipHQ and Global Outstanding Leadership Awards and the newly launched Courage Conference. For more than 25 years, Sonia has been on the front lines of leadership and she is beyond committed to her mission around building a world of great leaders.

She has held leadership positions worldwide and through experience, research and study come to realise what it takes to be a truly great leader. She has been recognised by Richtopia as One of the Top 250 Influential Women across the Globe and Top 100 Australian Entrepreneurs.

Sonia has an ability to speak bravely and authentically about her own development as a leader, personal and career challenges in a way which resonates with her audience. She is a leading coach, an award-winning published author of newly released First Comes Courage, Leadership Attitude and Just Rock It! and has become an in-demand keynote speaker on leadership, kindness and courage.

Sonia has become recognised for her commentary around the topic of leadership, kindness, empathy and courage as well as building outstanding leadership across the Globe.