“Science may never come up with a better office communication system than the coffee break.”
– Earl Wilson
Informal weak ties are one of the most important components in communication systems.
Corporations are concerned about the org chart, the direct reports and the dotted lines. But it is the random interactions at the water cooler or in the break room that spark random conversations that lead to innovation and strengthened corporate cultures, that promote a feeling of belonging and add value to the individual and the organization.
Steve Jobs had this interactivity designed into the Apple headquarters to subtly force interactions.
Letting people relax a bit, kibitz and find out how someone’s kid is doing as well as bounce around ideas (both work related and not) is crucial to the well being of the individuals and the group, and any HR individual worth a damn will tell you how these freeform bonding opportunities directly reduce turnover and thus improve the bottom line, however you wish to measure it.
The coffee clutch is the key to corporate communications and community.