By Melissa Karz
Partner, Next Step Partners
Originally published by Harvard Business Review.
If you’ve been feeling disconnected from your job recently, you’re not alone. The numbers are stark: More than half of U.S. workers feel disengaged from their jobs, creating substantial costs not only for their organizations but for their own careers and wellbeing.
While the causes of disengagement may vary, our response is remarkably consistent: We withdraw. This instinct, documented in organizational psychologist William Kahn’s pioneering research on employee engagement, is both common — and counterproductive. It works against our brain’s fundamental needs, affecting mental health, motivation, stress, responsiveness, and even cognitive function. Worse, withdrawal is self-perpetuating, triggering a troubling cycle that’s increasingly difficult to break.
Purposeful interactions — even brief ones — can interrupt the withdrawal spiral and reignite engagement. This isn’t about simply adding more meetings to your day; the key lies in the quality of your workplace interactions, not the quantity. Research by Robert Quinn and Gretchen Spreitzer demonstrates that even brief social exchanges can dramatically boost workplace engagement, and creative collaboration has been shown to increase social closeness.
If you’re looking to re-engage at work this year, these five small actions — drawn from our combined 40-plus years coaching and consulting to business leaders and corporate professionals — can help build meaningful connections throughout your day.
1. Initiate or join a collaborative project.
Melissa’s client Sarah*, a senior operations director known for her inspiring leadership, noticed herself withdrawing from her team, spending less time collaborating and more time in her office behind closed doors. She felt trapped in a cycle of exhaustion and avoidance, which only deepened her detachment.
Rather than letting this disengagement fester, she used January as a chance to reset and deliberately restructured her workdays to put collaboration first. She launched cross-functional problem-solving sessions and invited her team to take shared ownership of key projects. These small but intentional steps toward connection quickly rekindled her enthusiasm for work — and she noticed a difference in her team as well.
You can replicate this approach by:
- Proposing a side project that requires cross-departmental input. (It could be as small as creating a shared document where people can contribute their favorite team-building activities for an offsite.)
- Requesting an assignment to existing team initiatives, such as offering to be a test user for another team’s new process or tool.
- Organizing informal working groups around shared organizational challenges.
2. Host a small brainstorming session.
Rick, a product development director at a global retail company and recent coaching client of Melissa’s, had always thrived in environments that encouraged team collaboration and idea sharing. However, as the demands of managing a large product portfolio grew, he found himself working independently to push decisions forward, leaving him increasingly isolated and disengaged.
After a spontaneous brainstorming session with two other peers on an innovative product idea left him feeling energized, he committed to adding more of these types of interactions into his work week.
The new year is an especially effective time to try out this small action, as colleagues will likely be returning to work refreshed and ready to engage. Some ideas to kick off a small brainstorm include:
- Scheduling a 15-minute problem-solving session with a trusted peer
- Running a low-pressure virtual “coffee chat” for idea sharing
- Inviting cross-functional colleagues to a “rapid fire” ideation meeting
- Experimenting with digital collaboration tools like Miro, Mural, or Zoom Whiteboard to capture ideas in real time for ongoing collaboration without scheduled meetings
3. Seek out peer input.
Rebecca’s client Megan ran a growing boutique design studio but was feeling isolated and stagnant after years of working alone. She decided to reach out to a fellow boutique owner to discuss pricing strategies. These brief interactions gave Megan a new perspective on scaling her studio without sacrificing quality, restored her sense of creative partnership, and reignited her enthusiasm for her work.
Sometimes, people outside of your immediate circle can offer insights that those closer to the work might miss. If you don’t typically seek input from others unless required to, you may be missing out on a powerful tool for both connection and growth.
