“Happy Coffee Star Time” by Craig Anderson is licensed with CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

The forced move to remote working in 2020 has served as a catalyst for developing new ways of working. The 1.5 million meetings at UCL that have been held on MS Teams over the past year have proved to be an effective way to develop and maintain strong ties with those with whom we work closely.  It has also brought about other benefits – for example, meetings can be more inclusive now we are no longer constrained by room size. As a result, the Faculty Executive Team has been expanded beyond the Divisional and Institute Directors, Vice Deans, and Faculty staff, to also include all the Divisional and Institute managers. We are confident this will lead to more effective ways of working as well as helping us to increase the diversity of the committee.

However, remote working has also brought about some challenges, particularly for those who don’t have space at home to work comfortably, and for those who have been trying to combine work with caring responsibilities and home-schooling. One of the things we have missed out on at home is the opportunity to develop and maintain connections with colleagues with whom we don’t work closely. Without the opportunity to say hello on the corridor, or to chat whilst making a coffee in the kitchen, we are missing out on ways to check in with people. These “weak ties” are important though – not just for feeling a sense of social connection but also because they often allow group members to share and access information that they might not otherwise have access to. For those colleagues who have started work or taken on new roles within the Faculty in the past year, the lack of opportunity to get to know other people in their organisation outside of the direct team is particularly acute.

In a bid to help us connect with each other we are launching the Brain Sciences Virtual Kitchen Catch-Up – a monthly opportunity to spend 15 minutes having a cup of coffee whilst talking to a colleague from within the Faculty. Sign up by 23rd April 2021 and we’ll pair you with another member of the Faculty. You’ll get to schedule a slot for your 15-minute catch-up at a time that suits the pair of you over the coming month.

The scheme is open to all staff within the Faculty of Brain Sciences. Why not give it a go? It could be a good opportunity to chat with someone you haven’t spoken to over the past year or to speak to a colleague you haven’t met before.

1. Sign up for the Brain Sciences Virtual Kitchen Catch-Up here by 23rd April 2021
2. Match confirmed by FBS EDI Team on Friday 30th  April 2021
3. Matched pair find a suitable 15 minute slot to meet in May 2021