Benefits of Work Social Events

We human beings are hardwired to be social. We first learn about socializing through our interactions with the first people we encounter, our family, and from there, we go through life meeting people who may have meaningful impacts on our lives. And that includes our workplace, where we encounter a good variety of people with different personalities on an almost daily basis. 

And unless you exclusively keep to yourself, interacting with your colleagues and forming a connection with them is something to be expected and highly encouraged. After all, work friendships promote collaboration and help the organization run smoothly like a well-oiled machine. 

Having positive work relationships brings many benefits to employees’ health and the future of a company. Here are some of them.

Builds Relationships

A workplace social event provides an opportunity to network and foster relationships among the employees. People can make new connections in a more relaxed environment. Social events like a party in the workplace give people a chance to build relationships, whether between co-workers or employers. It breaks down barriers between different departments and between the employees and the management and puts everyone on equal footing. This results in increased engagement as employees become more comfortable communicating with their team members and their colleagues from other departments, leading to better collaboration.

Develops Work Culture

One factor that attracts people to work for a company, especially the younger generation of the workforce, is the company culture. It determines how interested they are in working for a company and how long they see themselves working for them. And holding fun social events frequently can attract talent to your organisation. It shows that you as an employer places importance on a work-life balance and not just making profits. 

Improved Employee Experience

As mentioned above, developing a work culture that emphasizes a good work-life balance is a big plus for attracting new hires, but it also improves your existing employees’ experience. Good company culture makes the employees feel valued, improving their employee experience in the company. Feeling valued can boost their morale, making them want to do better when they feel that their hard work is being appreciated. A valued employee is also more likely to stay longer in the organization.

Increased Happiness and Productivity

Aside from benefiting the company, socializing through company social events can improve the employee’s mood by making them happier and reducing stress. Good relationships are the key to being happy, as proven by one study conducted by Harvard. And a more satisfied worker acquires less stress, which means less strain on their mental health. Less stress would then result in a boost in productivity.

Furthermore, a survey showed that employees who have a best friend at work made them more productive, made their jobs more enjoyable, and were more likely to produce higher quality work.

Healthier Life

Employees can also benefit physically by having strong social connections. They have a reduced risk of significant health problems, including depression, high blood pressure, and an unhealthy body mass index or BMI. Research also showed that adults who have quality friendships are more likely to live a longer life. This is good for employers because, as mentioned above, healthy workers mean improved productivity, with fewer sick days and more energy in the workplace.

While workplace social events are highly encouraged, safety precautions should still be observed during this time. Public gatherings are still pretty risky. Before you and your team head out for an outdoor retreat, consider a safer alternative like a smaller lunch get-together or a virtual hangout.

Got any ideas to share about safe workplace social events? Start the conversation with the best IT recruitment consultants in Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane by emailing office@redwolfrosch.com.au or calling 1300 544 652.