Remote Q&A: Alex Abell of Lunchpool
This week, we hear from Alex Abell, Co-founder and Chief Lunch Break Enforcer at Lunchpool.
Let’s jump right in!
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Q: Why is virtual community so important?
A: Virtual community is so important because connection to other human beings is wired into our cores. Humans are social creatures, and while we need to do work to survive, I’d argue that we also need to converse and share the experience of life with others.
The word has a sort of religious connotation to it, but fellowship, or friendly association, especially with people who share one’s interests, is an innate human need. There is a reason that “Belonging” is right above “Safety” and right below “Esteem” on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. We simply can’t cope with the harsh realities of life if we don’t have others to share in the joys, the pains, and everything in between.
To answer your question more succinctly, virtual community is so important because of the importance of community of any sort. We are wired for connection, and technology can either divide us, or as many are realizing, connect us together meaningfully.
We are wired for connection, and technology can either divide us, or as many are realizing, connect us together meaningfully.
I’m seeing an emerging field of technology starting to become vital and extremely mainstream. I call it EmpatheTech — it’s the software and startup community that is focused on building innovative ways to bring us closer together.
Q: What’s the most underrated thing about virtual engagement (meetings, events, happy hours, etc.)?
A: To me, the most underrated thing about virtual engagement is the myriad of possibilities we are missing if we don’t use technology with the right intention.
Sure, you can have a Zoom call to talk about the quarterly earnings report or update your supervisor on the status of your project. On the other hand, you can use Facetime to show your mother the progress your daughter has made learning the alphabet. You can connect with old friends from high school with a drink from your respective couches, no matter if you are on opposite sides of the country.
During an incredibly difficult time period, the most uplifting thing is to see how many people are looking isolation in the eye and saying, “not me… us.” We are in this together and people are learning to embrace new ways to connect. People are shifting leftward on the diffusion of innovation curve — my grandmother is even learning to use Facetime so she can keep up with the family. It’s heart-warming to see the vitality and ingenuity of the human spirit coming to the forefront of society.
During an incredibly difficult time period, the most uplifting thing is to see how many people are looking isolation in the eye and saying, “not me… us.”
Q: Does virtual engagement really have a positive impact on mental health? On loneliness?
A: With no doubt in my mind — it absolutely does. With the caveat of being actual engagement.
It’s easy to jump on a group Zoom, but it can be scary to actually engage. When people drop their guard, discuss fears and joys, and really connect on more than a surface level, virtual engagement can make depression go away.
Loneliness is a symptom of feeling like nobody else understands what you are going through. It’s a feeling of being forgotten or unwanted. All it takes is one conversation, whether in-person or digital, to turn that around.
There’s a really cool Ted Talk about where the presenter says, “The opposite of addiction isn’t sobriety… it’s connection.” It took me a while to really let that sink in and make complete sense in my head. But it’s true. If we can’t connect and attach ourselves to a tribe, we still have this innate need to attach — and usually the most readily available attachments are not very good for us.
People who feel sad and lonely often look to drugs, alcohol, or gambling as a way to fire the neurons in their brain that could easily be activated by a good conversation with a barista or an intimate call with an old friend.
Q: How can remote workers foster community going forward?
A: The key is dropping your guard. We’ve all bought into the lie at one point or another that we have to be one way at home and another at work. As more people work at home, the line between the two is blurring, and rightfully so.
It’s time to take off the “me at work” mask and just be yourself. Others will take notice and rush to be part of your tribe. That’s how communities are built.
About Alex
Alex is a tech entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and marketing consultant dedicated to using tech to meaningfully connect. With a background rooted deeply in dynamic web analytics and digital marketing, he is focused on helping organizations build a more connected and productive workforce and helping startups and small businesses connect more with their customers and employees.
Alex’s company, Lunchpool, is a whole new way to build more productive teams. They help people-focused companies create new opportunities for self-organized internal networking between employees over lunch, coffee, workouts, and office celebrations!
