The “Alone Together” Coffee Hour: Vital Connection in a Virtual Workplace
An innovative partnership between The Coaching Lens and The South London Neighbourhood Resource Centre (a neighbourhood based non-profit organization with 9 affiliated sites including Northwest London Resource Centre) has resulted in a unique online coaching experience that helps counter the stress and disconnection faced by employees in a pandemic-induced virtual workplace.
Please, NOT another Zoom meeting! Let’s face it, meeting online has become a daily reality for many of us, as has the challenge of keeping our morale up. So, if someone suggests yet another Zoom meeting, this time for a coffee break, it feels more like adding to the problem rather than solving it. Who can spare an hour when emails and phone messages and just plain work keep relentlessly piling up? The truth is that sparing that hour, can make a world of difference in how positive and motivated you feel about your work, your colleagues and yourself and we would like to share some of the surprises that the participants have experienced along the way.
Making the Online Coffee Connection. Perhaps the first surprise was how many participants showed up for the first session. The co-hosts Nancy Pollard (Board Member and Staff Liaison) and Mary Ann Tucker (Board Member and co-founder of The Coaching Lens) had expected maybe three or four. Twelve initially came online and the number now averages around 26; not always the same people but many who thought they’d come once (maybe!) are calling it something they look forward to and saying I WANT to be there. As one participant explained, it was like working in a “busy beehive” before the pandemic and so disorienting to find yourself suddenly working physically all alone. Marooned at home, struggling with technology and trying to balance work and family life, that one hour a week spent NOT talking about work but instead, sharing how you were feeling and how you were coping offered a life-line connection back into the organization.
The Power of the Online Coffee Hour. What makes an online coffee hour a success and not an added burden? The Coaching Lens credits underlying coaching principles for making the difference: the use of powerful questions and active listening, and the nurturing of an environment of trust. In one session, coach Mary Ann Tucker asks the participants: “From the list, choose a strength that you’d like more of (Confidence, Patience, Discipline, Persistence…) as a gift to yourself today, and tell us why.” Everyone listens to each other (there’s no playing with cell phones or trying to sneak work on the side) and there’s a palpable feeling of surprise and relief that colleagues are sharing the same anxiety and frustrations. In no way is it a gripe session – the participants share supportive and creative ideas for coping, developing resiliency and remembering to “tilt your head to see the world from a different perspective”.
Building Trust, One Online Coffee Hour at a Time. In a trust environment, there is no judgment, only a “safe space” providing the confidence to share vulnerability and receive support in return. Building a trust environment takes both time and demonstrated support from the organization’s leadership but once in place, it renders costly micro-management virtually unnecessary. The Board and Nancy Needham, Executive Director of The South London Neighbourhood Resource Centre sponsor this approach, believing that teamwork is the source of productivity and quality client service. Management and board members sometimes join in as participants. As Nancy Pollard affirms, this Online Coffee Hour is not wasted time, but a valuable tool to help their people feel connected, motivated and inspired. The participants speak eloquently of their trust in the organization’s leadership and how much they appreciate the gift of a weekly hour “Alone Together”.
Onboarding New Employees with Online Coffee. Yet another surprise, was how just one session could make new employees feel that they “belonged in the organization” and to see clearly how much help and support was informally available to them. When everyone is working from home the onboarding process is a huge challenge for both the organization and the new employee. One “newbie” on her first day, chose “Confidence” as a gift of strength to herself, explaining that even Zoom was new to her and it gave her a much-needed lift to see and hear from so many helpful colleagues. Another participant shared that even with 15 years experience in the organization, she has learned so much about what others do and what it means to them. Yet another participant said that returning from maternity leave (while never leaving home!) has been made much less stressful by “finding a family” in the online coffee sessions.
Looking Forward to the Next Coffee Hour. How much do the participants look forward to next Tuesday? Just listen to how much effort some of them are willing to exert, just to be there. Having missed last week and needing to make a delivery during this session, one participant hopped in the car and set up the audio so she could drive safely and still listen. But then she pulled over and parked so she could connect by video and offer one of her colleagues some heartfelt, positive feedback. When another participant’s internet suddenly went down, one of the group texted how to turn her phone into a hotspot and with a little help from her son, she was back on track. And next week’s topic is already set by popular demand: Discipline – staying focused, setting realistic expectations and still taking care of yourself.
The Coaching Lens (May Ann Tucker, Carole Murphy, Ida Kmiec) salutes The South London Neighbourhood Resource Centre, and the many organizations who continue to offer their employees the invaluable support of an online coffee hour during these difficult times. As we look forward to a post-pandemic work-scape, the challenges of connecting employees on site with those working remotely will still be with us. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if The Coaching Lens can help with adding some “coaching energy” to your online sessions, or with starting up an Online Coffee Hour for your team or organization. Reach us on Facebook, TheCoachingLens.com, [email protected] or 519-318-0416.