Missing Insights from the Virtual Water Cooler

In the past couple of years, we’ve learned a lot about working remotely and/or in a hybrid fashion. We’ve figured out how to sustain productivity, run meetings, have brainstorming sessions, and so much more.

 

But for many of us, something still feels like it's missing—that chatter that happens by the water cooler. And I don’t just mean the casual how-was-your-weekend catchups, but the informal conversations that remind us we’re not alone in the experiences we’re having as we navigate this still uncertain and unprecedented moment.

 

Part of my work is to help companies capture and understand the voices of their employees—to learn what their experiences are, where there are opportunities for change, and what solutions or interventions may be the most impactful. I do this by conducting Listening Sessions—essentially focus groups designed to unlock employee sentiment which I then synthesize and feed back to leadership teams.

 

What I’ve noticed in recent months is that employees are beginning to use these sessions to replicate those missing water cooler conversations. Participants are not just offering feedback to their leaders during these sessions, but they’re also validating each other’s experiences while sharing actionable strategies that anyone can pick and use.

 

In case you’re missing your own water cooler moments, today I’d like to share with you some of my favorite insights and strategies I’ve had the good fortune of hearing over the past many months. Whether you’re a leader or just a citizen of your organization, there’s something actionable for you to take away.

1. Taking breaks must be normalized

Burnout, exhaustion, overwhelm—they’re all still present. Companies know this, and they’re preaching the importance of taking breaks. But telling people to take breaks in the face of back-to-back meetings that run all day is not helpful.

 

So what is helpful? According to my listening sessions, employees want to see break-taking get normalized—highlighted, talked about, even applauded.

 

In one session, I heard about a leader who started kicking off their team meetings by sharing something fun he did on a recent...

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