Fit in already.

Managers who care about creating a welcoming environment and seeing their team members as full people sometimes struggle with the employee who opts out of informal connection. They have a vague sense that the employee isn’t a great fit for the organization, but when pressed for details the manager can only name “issues” like:

• They rarely post weekend photos on the Slack water cooler channel.

• They asked if the team axe throwing night was mandatory and then declined when it was explained it was encouraged.

• You can’t say for sure if they have a pet. 

Managers should foster an environment where people are safe to engage with one another, but just because someone feels they can open up doesn’t mean they will want to. And that’s okay. Yes, you need your team to work well together, but a person can be collaborative in the work environment without choosing to be social. 

These social touchpoints are often used by managers as an indication of employee satisfaction, but that can be gauged by a strong check-in process. A regular 1:1 check-in process allows opportunity for a manager to ask:

• What is going well right now? What isn’t? 

• Are there things that we could do to make sure everyone feels they can engage effectively during and outside team meetings? Are there things that sometimes prevent you from engaging more with the team?

• Do you have ideas for how we could improve team communication? 

• What can we improve upon to ensure that we work well together as a team?

  
  

  And if an employee indeed feels satisfied in their work and safe in the work environment, but chooses not to be social? That’s okay. 

  
  

   Inclusivity means leaving space not only for what people share but also accepting when people choose not to.