Human connection & business
Grab a brew, take 5 and feet up ……. Ready? Let’s talk about human connection.
Our brains are developed so we crave human connection. We are social beings and have a need to interact and engage with others. Our neocortex is much larger in humans than any other mammal or animal and comprises of many brain areas like higher social cognition, language, behaviour and emotion regulations, empathy and theory of mind [ - the ability to understand the feelings and intentions of others] - If you’re an autism family you’ll be well aware of this one!
The point of this business business project is to find out from business owners how the lack of in person human connection has impacted their business and themselves as a business owner and individual as we strive for interaction. For our businesses to have that connection made with our customers, clients, to have a meaningful connection rather than surface recognition with a fickle engagement. Has this been something we’ve seeked out more or have we found that adapting how we engage has made an impact for the better?
How a business connects has changed over the pandemic, how they make those connections in the first place to how they maintain that connection has changed due to lockdowns, social distancing and regulations. A genuine face to face interaction means we can see people, read their body language, understand their physical and emotional cues which all leads to then appreciating what the customer needs and how we can serve and cater to them. Because of this, networking, face to face meetings, engaging in person will always be needed. Its just a no brainer!
As technology engulfs our lives, from how we engage in our personal and work lives, from social media to the factory floor, human connection builds the gap between it all. This can be done through meetings, events, conversations, body language and physical touch. I dunno about you, but I miss hugs and shaking hands with people when I first meet them, Touch is a fundamental way in which we communicate. If we can’t see a person face to face, we miss reading the body language those vital cues. After all 93% of our communication is nonverbal. Let me tell you that again…
93% of our communication is nonverbal!!!!
Baby massage by Happy Hatchings
When you physically meet a person, our brain function develops and we are introduced to new ways of thinking, finding solutions to problems. It’s how we learn, grow and evolve. For a business, this is a vital way of having a competitive advantage as this gives you industry insights and thinking outside the box to constantly improve and provide a better product or service fulfilling your customer’s needs. Think of how you brain storm with your colleagues, business partner, etc. You improve this connection by the way you engage with others, your customers and suppilers, etc. I know that it may sound old school but even a phone call with a person can make an impact more so than just an email or message via social media online because we get to hear their tones, we hear the cues - faster breathing and higher pitch of tones when people get excited about an idea you’re working on, or vice versa, when they sound flat or withdrawn if they don’t like something. This is why some people prefer to be able to talk to a person on the phone than contact your business online. You may find it more cost effective with your time, but you’re missing that connection, that impact you make with another person! They don’t feel that value.
Human connection also improves good health when you are able to meet other people who can be a positive influence on both your business and personal living habits. It creates emotional support through social events and can lead to helping reduce stress and anxiety. Think of those who you have met in your line of work, how have those people impacted you? Are they a source of support and inspiration? They can give you purpose and meaning in the world, which is essentially what we crave as humans. Our brains are wired for us to feel good and be a better person when we are socially accepted. We strive to help others and be the best version of ourselves and strive to work harder and smarter to keep ourselves and our businesses relevant. We need that appreciation, to feel valued and seen. Our body’s can feel physical pain when emotionally we are feeling socially rejected or not valued. Think about how you feel if someone is not happy with the work you have done, or a customer leaves negative feedback. This can lead to anxiety and depression which makes us feel unworthy and lose our purpose. Having positive connections and people in our lives makes us resilient when the connections lack or aren’t benefitting us any longer. I believe that in life, your vibe attracts your tribe and people who can make you laugh are gold dust! They help you build a positive outlook; they can make you feel seen, appreciated and worthy. They can help you face the toughest challenges so when life gives you a storm, you can be the force of nature to face it head on. This is vital when you’re self employed because at the end of the day, the buck stops with you, but it doesn’t mean you have to face everything alone and feel like all the hats are worn at once.
We all crave the feeling of being accepted, wanted, loved and belonging. From our friendships, intimacy, family, it all gives us a sense of connection, satisfying relationships with family, friends and within our community reduces stress, anxiety, and depression because we feel accepted and it gives us purpose. It reduces loneliness and feeling less self-worth. Social isolation has been proven to increase high blood pressure, other illnesses and even death. With our businesses, we need to have that sense of family too, we build a working relationship which is based on trust, loyalty, and engagement, working together. If we don’t make our customers feel that connection, what is the point of them coming back to our business? Social media can play its part in that we can engage anytime, we can show insights into the job and show how we progress as a business, behind the scenes photographs, videos, asking for their feedback in Instagram stories, or polls, it builds that bridge for engagement, creating trust and loyalty, but at the end of the day, we still need to hear that voice, see the face, touch the hand. It’s a basic need. It’s how we build our businesses, understanding the world around us, other people and transform our work and personal lives. It’s also how we can let our customers know we are another human being whose working our butts off to build our dream and provide for our families while creating something that the customers needs or wants and pushes us to go above and beyond their expectations. Giving them the best experience and service we can possibly provide.
Training at Optimum Performance & Rehabilitation
Meeting another human, creating that connection together, makes it something solid and real. Personally, I believe that social media has it’s place. I know that I have made some amazingly genuine friends online and as a single parent, a family with autism and looking after everyone else, it’s been a socially engagement lifeline for me over the years. As a photographer, it’s been a vital tool to reach out and connect to other people, businesses and see people online that live on the other side of the world that I would NEVER get the change to meet in real life. In a society now that is all about Instagram, Facebook, tiktok and snap chat… are we losing that impact that people make on our lives if they were sitting beside us having a brew? Are we losing that connection of being able to read body language and use our senses to engage with another person? Are we losing that ability to have another human being engage with us and make that connection which makes them feel seen, understood, worthy, appreciated and valued?
If this is what’s been happening before covid, lockdowns and social distancing, do we not feel like this is an eye opener? Where is the difference between sitting in a room with another person or a group of people, and you’re on your phone, not focusing the person whose talking, taking the time to engage and listen compared to complaining that you must sit through an online meeting for the next 2 hours? And how can we change our attitudes towards it all if we complain that we miss the human side of connecting?
Latest NI Business to take part, Restore_NI who provide true self care for women, restoring health and wellbeing through physiotherapy, fitness & nutrition.
This is the point of the project, trying to photograph it all while promoting your business and yourself while finding out from the local businesses who take part how this has impacted them. If you reached the end of this, you’re awesome and if you are a small business owner in NI and would like to take part, drop me a message and we can book your session! I’m now going to edit the images taken yesterday from @retore_ni, the ladies were brilliant and it was amazing to see a group of women supporting each other. Keep an eye on that blog post coming soon!
Enjoy the rest of your day folks,
Jules x