The Power of Human Connection at Work
As humans, we’re hard-wired for social connection. In fact, our need for connection is considered just as vital as our need for food and water. When we feel seen, heard, and valued by others, our stress levels drop, our mood lifts, and our sense of purpose grows.
This isn’t just in our personal life, the same applies to our work life, too. In fact, Human connection is one of the most powerful drivers of both mental health and organisational success for many reasons:
Mental health and wellbeing – reducing stress, loneliness, and burnout.
Job satisfaction – creating a stronger sense of belonging and meaning.
Engagement and performance – because people who feel valued show up fully.
Team retention – connected teams are more supportive and loyal.
Productivity – collaboration flows more easily when trust is strong.
But as we’ve all experienced, today’s workplaces have become increasingly digital. While this shift brings incredible opportunities for remote work and flexibility, it also means our face to face interactions have become limited. Even when in the office, emails and virtual meetings have replaced hallway chats and shared lunches, making genuine, in-person connection easy to overlook.
But are these online connections the same as face-to-face? Neurologists at Yale have found that the social systems of the human brain are far more active during real, in-person encounters than via online meetings. In fact, the strength of neural signalling is dramatically reduced in online interactions, meaning virtual conversations simply don’t engage our brains to the same degree as face-to-face ones (Hathaway et al, 2023).
So what can we do to ensure we are fostering real connection at work? The good news is that it doesn’t require elaborate team-building events. It’s the small, consistent gestures that make the biggest difference:
Take time for coffee chats. A few minutes of genuine conversation goes a long way.
Share lunch breaks and talk about life beyond work.
Celebrate wins, big or small, to strengthen morale and motivation.
Show genuine care. Check in when someone seems quiet or offer help when they’re under pressure.
Choose face-to-face conversations when possible; even brief in-person moments can deepen understanding and trust.
Connection is what turns a workplace from functional to fulfilling. It builds psychological safety, fuels collaboration, and helps everyone feel their best.
So take that moment, grab the coffee, start the chat, celebrate the effort. Every small act of connection adds up to a happier, healthier, more productive workplace.
Hathaway, B., Zhao, N., Zhang, X., Noah, J.A. & Tiede, M. (25 October, 2023). Zooming in on our Brains on Zoom. https://news.yale.edu/2023/10/25/zooming-our-brains-zoom
