Building Cultural Connection with Coworkers  

If your agency has employees working out in the field or from home, how can you make sure, as a leader, that everyone still feels like they’re a vital part of your agency?  

Government workforce expert Mika Cross, a widely acclaimed speaker, strategist and innovator, recently sat down with Thevee Gray, Personnel Psychologist at the United States Department of Agriculture, to chat about creating workplace connectivity in her latest installment of the “Management Minutes With Mika” video series.  

“People deserve a good work environment and it’s important that you step out of your silo and make an effort to connect,” said Gray. “Employees need to feel a sense of belonging and like their voices are heard.” 

She encouraged leaders to boost engagement and communication through surveys and focus groups to discover trends or gaps in the workplace that need to be addressed. 

“For example, a recent survey found that, at the employee level, they found that their workload is heavy and that they need help,” Gray said. “At the leadership level, it turns out they were having problems hiring. When you connect the dots, see the big picture and communicate, it helps empower and support your leaders and workforce because they are informed.” 

Lastly, Gray had one parting piece of advice for agency leaders: doing something is better than nothing. 

“While you’re waiting for the main issue to be fixed, what else can you do or implement (so employees know they’ve been heard)?” she asked. “There are always opportunities while the root cause is being fixed.”  

For more on cultivating culture and connecting with your coworkers, watch the video now.