31st January 2025
Work Friends: The Secret Sauce to Success?
Here are some of our guests sharing their views at the event (apologies I accidentally broke the microphone so subtitles will be key)
Yesterday, Inspiring Workplaces hosted a Building Bonds at Work event at Gallup HQ, London. A unique format. No tech. Three brilliant storytellers (Shoshanna Davis, Anna Rasmussen and Ellie Beech) and a brutally honest group conversation.
The takeaway? Businesses can no longer afford to ignore the human side of work.
What If You Were CEO for a Day?
I asked the leaders in the room two powerful questions. Their responses were eye-opening:
If you were CEO for a day, what would you change?
•Redefine success – Move beyond just profits. Connection and culture matter just as much.
•Ringfence time for real relationships – Not “forced fun,” but genuine, meaningful interactions.
•Rewire onboarding – Make relationship-building a priority, not an afterthought.
•StinkyFish workshops – Drag unspoken workplace issues into the open before they fester.
•Flip the script – Instead of Gen Z adapting to work, leaders should evolve to meet the expectations of the future workforce.
Why Do Bonds at Work Matter?
Beyond leadership changes, we explored a second crucial question: Why does building bonds at work even matter?
✔ We spend 90% of our lives at work—so why not make it enjoyable?
✔ Trust, confidence, and creativity flourish in connected teams.
✔ A workplace without strong relationships is a revolving door of lost talent.
✔ When people believe in their team and their company, magic happens.
Final Thought
If you still think workplace culture is just fluff, you’re missing the point. The best businesses aren’t built on spreadsheets alone—they thrive because of people who actually care about each other.
What’s Next?
How does your organization build bonds at work? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
#Leadership #EX #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeExperience
