Four easy ways to build community at work -- Career Center Blog

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August 3, 2011

Four easy ways to build community at work

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By Michelle Goodman
NWjobs

From a social standpoint, office settings can make for some pretty awkward encounters.

[Flickr photo by naotakem]

Sure, employers try their darnedest to bring teams together with company picnics, holiday parties, and other morale events. But as anyone who's ever struggled to make small talk at such a gathering can attest, they don't always work.

Employees, of course, have a less contrived way to nurture bonds and share a few laughs: Friday afternoon happy hour. But your options for communing with your fellow workers are not limited to meeting at the corner bar to swap war stories or belittle the boss behind her back.

Following are four ways to build community at work that you may not have tried or thought of:

The freebie table. A publicist pal recently mentioned that her employer, a small business that shares building space with several other organizations, maintains a giveaway table in the hall outside her office. Workers bring in housewares, tools, clothes, books, and DVDs that they no longer want, and those enamored with what they see are welcome to help themselves. Thanks to the freebie table in her workplace, my pal's scored everything from kitchenware to a power drill. If nothing else, that leopard-print leotard on the table is sure to be a conversation starter with colleagues.

The working potluck. At my most recent contract job, one of my teammates had a knack for baking, making Thai food, and boosting everyone's spirits during stressful times. Whenever the group was stuck working late on a big web launch, she'd take it upon herself to make a feast of Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, and chocolate cupcakes to get us through the evening. Instead of eating a vending machine dinner alone at our desks, we'd head to a conference room for 30 or 45 minutes and dine together. Most teams aren't lucky enough to include a super-nurturer like this. But a potluck where everyone on the team contributes a dish can serve the same purpose.

The email list, Facebook page, or Twitter feed. At my first contract job in Seattle, one of my coworkers maintained a department-wide email list of the funniest, most bizarre statements overhead in the office. (The website Overheard in the Newsroom is similar in concept, only a bit racier.) Submissions to the list were welcome, and entertaining water cooler banter was never in short supply. If you decide to create a playful office blog, email list, or social media account like this, be sure it doesn't become a distraction from the actual work on your plate. You want management's support, not disapproval.

The hobby club. I've worked with musicians who would bring their acoustic guitars to the office during summer for outdoor sing-alongs at lunch. I've worked with exercise fanatics who would play soccer or basketball or go running as a group during lunch or after work. I've even worked with gamers who would bring their Wii or Kinect console into the office for virtual table tennis or bowling matches on a slow Friday afternoon. Whatever your interests outside work, chances are there's someone at the office who either shares your passion or wouldn't mind hearing about it. Seek them out and the workweek might look a little brighter.

Michelle Goodman is the author of "My So-Called Freelance Life" and "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide." E-mail Michelle at mgoodman@nwjobs.com