Having Lunch With Employees Isn't Enough

May 8, 2021 business management

This post is more than 18 months old. Since technology changes too rapidly, this content may be out of date (but that's not always the case). Please remember to verify any technical or programming information with the current release.

This advice is based primarily on an in-person team. I’m sure we could make this work with a remote team, too, somehow.

Many bosses will go out to lunch with their team here and there. While even bosses need to eat, usually there is an underlying goal: to bond with the team. When you go out to eat with an employee, you can escape the work confines and maybe have better and deeper conversations. That, and you can joke around without feeling the weight of the workplace.

This is good, I like this. But, have you thought about taking a walk? Let me explain:

There are two ways to connect with your employees: through their head and through their heart. Eating a meal together is great, it helps connect you on an emotional way. There’s something very deep about sharing a meal with someone. This helps develop that sense of belonging, of friendship, and of trust.

The second way to connect with someone is through their mind. When you solve a problem or think through a set of processes, that’s a different form of connection. This is why things like escape rooms are so popular.

If you think back to the last time you were really stuck on a problem, what did you do? You probably jumped up and paced, or took a walk around the block. During that time, you solved it.

So why aren’t you doing this with your employees? Solve some problems by taking a walk with them.

When you have a meal, you’re connecting with your team using your heart. When you go for a walk with one of them, you’re connecting with your brain. The more connections you can make, the better they will be able to perform the tasks in the manner that you wish. You’ll have a happier, more efficient team.