There is a lot of debate going on right now around the future of office work. Work from home. Return to the office. Hybrid arrangements.

What will the future really look like?

Let's face it: virtual happy hours can be super awkward. When Preciate first went completely remote at the start of the pandemic, we had a couple virtual get togethers that were lackluster at best. And it wasn't because we don't get along or have a good company culture. It was simply because those online meeting tools weren't designed to help people connect and build relationships while socializing virtually.

Microsoft Teams has been making a big splash in the world of workplace communication tools. More than doubling their user base in the past year, they now have even more active users than their top competitor, Slack.

We have a very exciting announcement! In November of 2019, Preciate was approved as a Certified B Corporation for the first time. After becoming a public benefit corporation in July of 2019, this was the clear next step to further our commitment to do the best we can for the world. Preciate is proud to now be a part of the community of businesses who believe in the power of purpose.

Relationship-Oriented Team Building to Improve Company Culture

Whether it's planning ice breaker events for newly formed teams or freshening up engagement for groups who have worked together for years, team building can certainly be a challenge. Companies have a lot to think about, and sources of employee motivation can tend to get blurred by certain external rewards. If you're an employee tasked with team building efforts at your company or someone who just wants to motivate your group, check out our list of 106 relationship-focused ideas to promote team bonding and engagement. 

Most of us are familiar with differing priorities among departments in an office and how that can impact the inner workings of a company. While management is more focused on developing practices that increase productivity and profit, Human Resources is often dedicated to employee well-being. Michael and Toby’s tumultuous relationship in the hit TV sitcom The Office demonstrates this dichotomy perfectly; it’s one we have seen time and again. 

It isn’t without reason that this parody exists. Oftentimes, new managerial practices can have trade-offs that are detrimental to certain aspects of employee well-being, whether it be psychological, physical, or social well-being. Rather than argue one set of priorities is more important than another, it’s more important to recognize that happiness, health, and human relationships are related, and their optimization leads to better overall outcomes for company success.

For many people, the office can be an exciting and interesting place to work and connect with others in the process. Unfortunately, this is not the case for everyone, especially those who face discrimination due to race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc. Studies show that discrimination can lead to negative emotions like anger and fear, which in turn influence the overall satisfaction and happiness an employee experiences in his or her career. Although most of us try to avoid discriminating against others, the reality is that stereotypes and prejudiced thoughts are very much a social norm – one that we need to work actively against should we hope to reduce their damaging effects.

The people we work with have an enormous impact on our lives, both personally and professionally. So it’s no wonder that within the professional ecosystem, we manage different types of relationships that benefit us and our work in different ways. A Gallup poll on the state of the American workplace found that positive work relationships have an immediate and tangible impact: “When employees possess a deep sense of affiliation with their team members, they are driven to take positive actions that benefit the business.”