If you're implementing Donut Intros for your team and looking to maximize engagement, there are a few steps we recommend to make your connections program a success.
Create a dedicated Donut channel, and make it opt-in by avoiding channels such as #general. When folks have explicitly opted into the program and know to expect intros, meeting completion rates are usually higher and it tends to be a better experience for everyone involved.
Promote your channel by turning on our free welcome message to let new hires know about your Donut channel(s), and be sure to announce it via Slack and/or email regularly.
As you're announcing Donut, set clear expectations: let people know where, when, and how often to expect Intros. Make sure they know it's okay to take time out of their schedule to complete them (this suggestion's impact can be amplified if it's coming from a company leader).
If there's a specific purpose for meetings like reviewing code together or hopping on sales demo calls, be sure to spell that out for participants. And don't forget to give them instructions for snoozing or opting out.
Check your channel's stats and reporting regularly for meeting completion rates and feedback. Using your team's feedback, we suggest making adjustments to settings such as frequency, group size, and Intro messages accordingly.
Make the purpose of meetings clear to participants. If it's a social occasion, turn on conversation starters to break the ice. Or, add conversation prompts or links to resources like a feedback rubric to your Intro message.
Reduce friction for scheduling meetings: If your team uses Google Calendar, Zoom, Google Meet, or MS Teams, Donut's various integrations can help them schedule and start calls right from their Intro message in Slack. If you're in multiple time zones, consider establishing a pre-set meeting time by setting aside a common day/time that everyone is expected to do their Donut meetups.
Encourage folks to share selfies or things they learned or discussed during their Donut meetups back in the channel. People tend to upvote and thread off these posts, which creates a positive feedback loop and incentivizes others to participate.
If things are going well, consider creating multiple Donut channels. It's not uncommon for teams to have channels like #donut-be-strangers, #code-review-pals and #APAC-donuts all on the same workspace! Review additional ways you can use Donut here.
Tips to Keep Your Team Engaged After Launching
Keep things fresh! Look through our library of pre-made solutions, and choose whichever work best for you and your team.
Gamify Donut! Consider setting up a Donut Lottery where the winners get lunch sponsored by the company. Or, start a “pen pal” Intros channel where every group sends each other their favorite snacks. There are so many more ways to encourage your team to participate. If your team has tried any engaging channel ideas that have worked successfully, please let us know! We'd love to hear about it.
We believe managers should always lead by example. So, we suggest encouraging management to participate! Employees are much more likely to participate when upper management joins in as well.
Consider using our Watercooler feature by adding it to an existing or new channel. Watercooler gives users who prefer asynchronous conversation the opportunity to engage with teammates on their own time, no matter where they're located.
If you have any questions or feedback, click the purple Donut button on the bottom right of your screen to open up a chat with our support team!