Today on The Gottman Relationship Blog we’d like to share a list of activities that you can do with your coworkers. These activities are designed to give you an opportunity to grow closer with people in your work environment, whether this desire stems from a wish to establish a connection or to strengthen a pre-existing one.
Things to Do With Your Coworkers
- Go to lunch
- Take a coffee break
- Host a potluck
- Take walks
- Join a gym
- Go out for drinks or coffee after work
- Swap recipes
- Swap information about other shared interests (music, politics, sports, etc.)
- Take a class or workshop relevant to your job
- Take a class or workshop on stress management or healthy lifestyles
- Take a class or workshop just for fun
- Volunteer for a community project
- Join a professional association and go to meetings and conferences together
- Start a group at work related to a common hobby such as hiking, theater, reading, or bowling
- Plan your work group’s holiday party
- Plan a celebration for another coworker who’s retiring, having a baby, getting married, or has won an award, etc.
- Swap resources for child-care
- Go get a flu shot
- Go shopping at lunch
- Organize a blood drive
- Commute together
Take some time to consider these suggestions. Turning towards your coworkers frequently, offering support, and displaying respect, interest, and warmth can make or break positive dynamics in your workplace environment. Think about the people you see at work. Is there anyone you’d like to spend time with? All of these activities are great ways to form or strengthen the emotional connection in the workplace, but this is by no means an exhaustive list. Feel free to come up with your own ideas.
