Weak social ties are essential to your “diverse social portfolio.” Yet they get short shrift in discussions of connection and loneliness.
Even Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, in his landmark Harvard Business Review article “Work and the Loneliness Epidemic” (which sounded a much needed alarm), bypassed our learnings about weak ties, writing:
“Happy hours, coffee breaks, team-building exercises are designed to build connections between colleagues, but do they really help people develop deep relationships?”
The answer is no, but the next question must be, “Are ‘deep relationships’ the only kind that count?”
Really enjoyed researching and writing this piece for Health Enhancement Systems (HES):
About The Author: Bob Merberg
Bob Merberg, Principal Consultant of Jozito LLC, has 20+ years of experience leading employee wellbeing strategies and now channels his knowledge and experience to help employers bolster employee wellness and organizational outcomes. He recently introduced Mental Health First Aid Training into his practice to help employers address the burgeoning employee mental health crisis.
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