Mpilo Siwela, Clinical Outreach Librarian, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
Our Trust, like many other NHS organisations underwent considerable organisational change during 2025-2026. During periods of large-scale organisational change, staff may need to adapt to new roles, teams and ways of working. Research has shown that employees who experience large-scale change report higher levels of stress, more anxiety and increased uncertainty (Blom, 2018). One of the most important factors in navigating change successfully is maintaining strong relationships across teams and departments. According to Schaber-Chan (2019), building relationships is a critical and necessary step to effective change management.
This provided a timely opportunity for our Knowledge and Library service to reintroduce Randomised Coffee Trials which can help to:
- Strengthen relationships across the organisation
- Break down silos and encourage collaboration
- Support staff wellbeing through informal conversations
- Promote knowledge sharing and learning from different perspectives
- Create opportunities for peer support and informal mentoring
Change can be easier to navigate when we stay connected, andsometimes the most meaningful connections can start with a simple conversation, perhaps over a cup of coffee. As teams were being reorganised and some colleagues moving between services, there was a risk that existing professional networks would weaken. Even for those not directly affected, there was a broader need to bring colleagues together across the organisation during this period. We wanted to introduce something that would help colleagues feel connected to the wider organisation. Rather than using the term Randomised Coffee Trials (RCT), we decided to call them Randomised Coffee Connections (RCC) to reflect the focus on helping colleagues connect with each other.
I decided to approach two groups that I had already worked closely with. As I was already aware of some of the issues they were facing, I felt more confident that the RCC may work well. The first group was the newly established Women’s Network. As colleagues across the Trust were adapting to organisational changes, the Network was keen to create opportunities for members to connect and strengthen their professional networks. After discussing the idea with the Network Chair, I was asked to make a short presentation to the wider group before launching the RCC. The second group was one of the Trust’s Clinical Care Groups who I already work alongside as their named Clinical Outreach Librarian. Following conversations with the Care Group Director of Operations, it was felt that the RCC could offer something positive to clinical colleagues going through a period of uncertainty and change.
Both RCCs were heavily promoted by senior managers, with the Chair of the Women’s Network sharing the link and sign-up details for network members. Whilst the Care Group Operations Director promoted it to service managers during meetings who cascaded to their teams and encouraged them to sign up.
Across both RCCs, we connected 44 people from across different care groups.
Feedback from staff has been overwhelmingly positive, over 95% rated their meeting as excellent and said would like to register again for a Randomised Coffee Connection. Participants highlighted the value of hearing different perspectives, sharing challenges, and building new relationships across the Trust. Most participants reported enjoying the opportunity to:
- Meet new colleagues from different departments
- Learn about the diverse work taking place across the Trust
- Take a break from daily pressures
- Share experiences and ideas in a relaxed setting
- Build relationships that may support future collaboration
One participant described the initiative as:
A wonderful initiative as it gave me the chance to take a break from the highly pressured work routine and learn something new about our staff and the work that goes on in the hospital.”
Reflecting on the feedback received the RCCs demonstrated that even a brief conversation can help colleagues feel more connected, supported, and engaged. Due to the positive feedback received, and as we continue to navigate organisational change, we are planning further RCCs with other care groups. The positive response to RCC highlighted that strong networks, collaboration, and a sense of community are essential to creating a positive workplace culture.
One of the key lessons learned was the importance of securing senior management support before launching an RCC particularly when staff area already juggling competing priorities. Previous Randomised Coffee Trials had relied largely on promotion by the Knowledge and library service, which generated more limited engagement. Whereas getting active support from influential leaders helped encourage participation and contributed to the overall success of these RCCs. It also helped to raise the profile of our KLS with recognition from the People Director. This is an approach we plan to build into future initiatives.
References:
Blom, T., 2018, ‘Organisational wellness: Human reaction to change’, South African Journal of Business Management 49(1), a2. https://doi.org/ 10.4102/sajbm.v49i1.2
Schaber-Chan, K., 2019, Building relationships – a necessary step for effective change management, Harbinger.
Health Libraries Group 