Modern Mentor The 4 ways to rebuild your "second place" for belonging
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Nov 11, 2025 Work has lost its sense of community, and it's impacting connection and engagement. Discover why the traditional workplace feels broken and how to rebuild it. Explore practical strategies like establishing buddy systems to enhance onboarding, ensuring equal access to information for remote teams, and varying meeting formats to maintain engagement. Learn the importance of co-creating team charters and intentional leadership to foster a culture of belonging. These insights could transform how you connect with your colleagues.
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Central Perk Illustrates Lost Belonging
- Rachel Cooke uses Central Perk and Starbucks as cultural examples of 'third place' belonging.
- She contrasts that with work as the 'second place' which now feels off and disconnected.
Second Place Has Broken
- Work no longer builds community by proximity the way it used to.
- Remote, hybrid, and global teams have broken the accidental community that formed in shared spaces.
Lost Place Hurts Learning And Trust
- Loss of place reduces informal learning, trust, and constructive pushback.
- That erosion slows problem solving and shrinks leadership pipelines among newer employees.