The OpenBlend Connections feature enables employees to connect with other managers within the organisation for a one-to-one, outside of their direct reporting line. What is Connections?
This feature can be used to support mentoring relationships or simply to connect with someone in your network or business. As workplaces adapt to the new normal, it’s more important than ever to stay connected.
Connections allows for any employee can connect with any other manager within OpenBlend and have a check-in or one-to-one with the manager.
A Connections session works by the employee starting the session and selecting the manager they'd like to connect with from the search box, this will then be logged as a Connections session in their session history. Then the employee will share their screen with the manager and commence the one-to-one.
OpenBlend Connections sessions provides:
- Additional support to remote workers
- Successful collaboration
- New fresh perspectives
- More flexibility to suit all working patterns
Examples of how Connections can be used within your business:
- New Starter Mentoring
- Multi-management reporting lines
- Coaching & Mentoring Sessions
- Executive Sponsor Sessions
- Ad-hoc sessions with more senior managers (eg. quarterly/annually)
- Mental Health First Aid Sessions
- HR Check-in meetings
- and the list goes on...
Connections Sessions
To begin a Connections session, the employee will need to click on the "Start 1:1 Session" on their OpenBlend home screen.
The employee can search the name of any manager within your company to have a session with - these are your connections.
The job function of each connection with be displayed next to their name.
You will see up to 5 of your most recent connections are pre-populated on your Begin session screen.
NOTE: Your data will be visible during a Connection session, as you will be sharing your screen with the manager to conduct the one-to-one session; however the in-direct manager will not have access to any of your data directly from OpenBlend, only what you share on the screen with them during this session.Once you click begin session you will be asked to confirm your decision to ensure you understand some of data will now be visible to this connection during this session only.
After clicking 'confirm' you will automatically start your session and you will be directed straight to your Agenda page.
Connections sessions will be logged and shown in green on your Session Calendar and your direct manager sessions will be shown in blue.
NOTE: Your direct manager will get a notification after you've had connections session.
What's different to a one-to-one with your direct manager?
Connections sessions, can be implemented as a lighter touch check-in between an indirect manager and employee with some small functionality limitations.
You are unable to book a connections session on the system, but you can start one at any time by clicking "Start 1:1 Session". You the employee must start a connections session by choosing the manager you are looking to connect with, not the other way around.
When adding actions in a connections session, you can only assign them to yourself, not the connection or your direct manager. You are unable to delete or close any objectives / priorities in a connections session.