1. Lunch with another team

There’s nothing like sharing food with others to break down barriers and just 'be' together. When we have a shared focus we have a shared experience - and these shared experiences are what relationships are built from.

How to do it

• Try one or more of these: going out for lunch; having a virtual lunch; cooking for each other; ordering food in.
• Organize lunches where people share something work or life focused they are passionate about.

2. Connect with colleagues who have similar interests

We often forget that work relationships are about more than getting things done together; they are also about shared interests. By searching for commonality, we deepen our sense of relatedness and our commitment to one another.

How to do it

• Use the People tab in your Friday Pulse account to find out what other colleagues are interested in.
• You may discover things colleagues have shared about their hidden talents or find out something about them few people have ever known!

3. Sit with another team

Proximity is a key factor in relationship building. We build relationships to those who are geographically close to us because proximity creates opportunities for social interactions and shared experiences.

How to do it

• As a team, discuss which other teams you might like to get to know better.
• Organize for the team to sit alongside them for a week.
• By closing the physical gap, you'll create new connections and understand each other's work realities much better.

4. Check your team understands the goals and constraints of others

Every team has its own culture. This is driven by the personalities in the team but also a response to business conditions, constraints and challenges particular to them. We work much better with other teams when we understand their objectives and their pressures.

How to do it

• Map out the teams in your organization and note down what you think their goals and constraints might be.
• Validate this list with the leaders of the other team. Where you have blanks, ask the team leaders directly.
• Take a step back and ask yourselves: What are our key learnings from this exercise? How do the goals and constraints facing other teams compare to our own?

5. Peer to peer recognition

Saying “Thank you” helps cascade positivity through the team. Do it regularly and with purpose!

How to do it

• In the Friday Pulse platform we give you the opportunity to say thank you each and every week.
• Try to get into the practice of thinking about who helped and supported you every week - and make sure everyone knows it.