Importance of a Buddy Check at Work

By Vicki Hess

I saw a group of kids at a day camp a couple of years ago when I was swimming in the Intracoastal waterway. It reminded me of my Girl Scout summer camp days in north Georgia. We would play & swim in Lake Altoona.

Every now and then, the lifeguard would blow a whistle and yell “BUDDY CHECK”. We had to find our buddy, hold hands in the air and count off. This was the camp’s way of making sure we were all accounted for.

Now seems like a great time to institute Buddy Checks at work.

Here’s how that could work.
1.  Randomly draw names to pair up everyone on your team.

2.  Let everyone know who their partner is.

3.  Decide on a timeframe for the Buddy Check (weekly, every other week, etc).

4.  Announce the Buddy Check (this can be virtual or in-person).

5.  Everyone reaches out to his or her buddy to check-in.
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6.  You can have a few prescribed questions to get started.

• What’s something yummy you’ve eaten lately? (with all the quarantining, food has been on everyone’s mind – haha)
• On a scale of 1-10, how is your energy level?
• What support do you need from me or others on the team?
• What else do you want to talk about?

Summer is a great time to remember the carefree life of kids.

I hope you find time to connect with your buddies at work.

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