Last week in the The Blessing Revealed? I wrote about the recent YouGov Poll which found that only 9% of people want life to return to ‘normal’ once we come out of the lockdown.
Some of the benefits emerging suggest that over the last 29 days we are placing greater value on food and other essentials as well as developing a stronger sense of community.
During these times of social distancing and working from home, there is a danger of losing our sense of being part of a team and shared purpose. If we think about our psychological preferences, those inclined to introversion are likely to value the time being alone and being able to focus. On the other hand, those with a leaning towards extraversion may find working at home genuinely challenging, as they miss the daily contact and workplace banter.
Whatever our preference, we can all benefit from connecting with our colleagues, building and maintaining strong relationships, boosting creativity and creating a culture that focuses positively on mental health.
Last year, while working with Volvo at their Training and Development Centre in Daventry, I was introduced to the Swedish art of Fika which simply translated means a coffee and cake break.
But Fika is much more than that, it’s an important part of Swedish culture, an attitude and a state of mind, with many Swedes considering Fika to be an essential part of their day. Fika enables us to take time to pause, to socialise and refocus the mind. Organisations where Fika has become part of the culture say it makes good business sense, building more effective, energetic and productive teams.
As today is National Tea Day, you will never have a better excuse to take time out and meet up for a chat with your colleagues and have an ‘online brew’ or a ‘virtual Fika’.
Patrick Holtby
Patrick has been part of the ted Learning team since soon after the business was formed. He has worked extensively within transport, manufacturing and pharmaceutical sectors as well as in hospitality.
