The Best Workplace Bonds Happen on Mondays After Gameday.

A great way to bond and build culture in the workplace is through sports. I am a lifelong sports fan, and the positive thing is—if you are too, you’re certain to find others.

For me, the Chicago Bears have been my team. I wore my Caleb Williams jersey to my favorite Sunday morning coffee shop, and the first person who started talking to me was a Bears fan who grew up in Chicago. The thing is, we’re in Los Angeles, and the Bears play the Rams today.

What’s interesting is that because Los Angeles didn’t have a football team for so many years, there are fans of many different teams here.

At my workplace, I know of three 49ers fans, several Raiders fans, two Bills fans, Vikings fans, and Broncos fans. We all laugh and joke about our teams, and when we come back to work next week, we’ll laugh and joke about the results.

So come this Tuesday normally Monday but this Monday is a holiday, some of us will be sad and some overjoyed, but that’s exactly the point—sports creates bonds that transcend the wins and losses. Whether your team dominated or got crushed, you still show up on Tuesday ready to engage with your colleagues. That shared experience, the friendly rivalry, the ability to celebrate together or console each other—these moments build the kind of workplace culture where people genuinely connect beyond their job titles and responsibilities. Even after the Bears lost, I’ll be at work on Tuesday with stories to tell and relationships strengthened through our shared passion.

What’s your team, and how has sports fandom helped you connect with colleagues in unexpected ways?