Creating Connections during COVID-19.

Area of Science:

• Public Health Communication
• Organizational Psychology
• Digital Humanities

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid adaptation in workplace communication and community building.
• Research centers faced challenges in maintaining social connection and recognizing employee experiences during mandated remote work.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement a public communication strategy utilizing expressive writing.
• To foster a sense of community and acknowledge the unique experiences of colleagues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To create a platform for creatively sharing personal and professional challenges and coping mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• Development and dissemination of a weekly e-newsletter titled "Creativity in the Time of COVID-19."
• Collection of 72 colleagues' submissions over 23 online issues.
• Thematic organization of submissions based on the Social Connection Framework (structural, functional, quality).

Main Results:

• The e-newsletter captured diverse perspectives on social isolation, remote work challenges, and virtual connection strategies.
• Submissions included various creative formats: photos, essays, poetry, and original artwork.
• The initiative provided a mechanism for colleagues to express and document their lived experiences during the pandemic.

Conclusions:

• Expressive writing and collective creative efforts can effectively build community and document experiences in a research setting.
• The Social Connection Framework offers a useful structure for analyzing and understanding social connectedness in a remote work environment.
• The "Creativity in the Time of COVID-19" newsletter served as a valuable tool for maintaining connection and recognizing individual experiences during a public health crisis.