Wait, what?
Okay, Choose People—you’ve officially lost it.
Emotional intelligence? Sure. Culture? Yep. Relationship-building? Absolutely.
But emotional intimacy at work? Really?
Yes. Really.
What is emotional intimacy?
It’s not what we usually think of in the context of work—but emotional intimacy is simply the experience of feeling deeply connected, safe, and known by others.
As human beings, we crave emotional intimacy. We’re wired for it. We want to be seen, known, and to feel that we matter. So why wouldn’t we want that in the place we spend 2,000 hours of our lives each year?
The problem is, in most workplaces, that craving gets met in sideways, watered-down ways—like gossip, sarcasm, or scrolling. These are cheap hits. Imitations of connection.
They’re like duct tape when what we really need is super glue. The kind that’s made from real-deal connection, knowing for certain that you've got each other's backs, and that we’ll be damned if we let this stop us spirit.
What emotional intimacy actually looks like at work
Here’s what it looks like—no buzzwords, just real-life, high-trust, high-care connection:
- Real-deal connection
- Intentions are trusted
- Affinity and alliance
- Belonging
- Making a difference
- Being witnessed
- Fulfillment of meaningful purpose
- Feeling safe and seen
- Feeling proud, honored, welcomed
- Smiles and spontaneous laughter
- Thoughtfulness and generosity
- Shared commitment to the greater good
- Momentum with ease
- A sense of place and purpose
- Grace and empathy
- Inspired, energized effort
- Mutual trust and unspoken respect
- Calling forth each other’s potential
- Good energy in the room you can actually feel
- “We've got this”
- Banding together when it hits the fan
- Standing for each other’s success
- Real-deal caring—people who genuinely give a rat’s patootie
- Sparkle, grit, and that belly-deep belief that anything’s possible
- Creative problem solving where no idea is too dumb
- Mistakes that are truly seen as learning
- Where people don’t say they have an open-door policy—because they actually live it
What is emotional intimacy at work?
Bottom line? It's the secret sauce.
Every year, every single team member gives 2,000 hours of their life to your organization. Make that experience worthy of your mission.
Want to foster real connection and emotional intimacy in the workplace? Explore our culture workshops designed to help teams build trust, energy, and belonging.
