Houston expert: How workplace managers can tap into trends to promote engagement

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Gone are the days where serendipitous water cooler chats take place. Here's how to promote engagement and socialization in the modern workplace. Photo via Getty Images

Wordle, the trendy daily word game and latest viral sensation, has taken millions of people by storm as they look for ways to feel connected and stimulated during times of isolation. The speed with which the word game took hold and quickly became a daily obsession is an example of society’s desire to participate in a common activity and share their scores and stats.

As managers search for ways to re-engage in-person, remote and hybrid teams, they should take cues from societal trends, behaviors and habits that can be easily adapted for the workplace. A unique tool that can help promote team engagement and serve as the foundation for an ongoing program begins with six letters – Wordle.

Below are ways managers can use Wordle and other activities to promote a cohesive and engaged workforce.

Create a virtual water cooler

Most employers and employees agree that a critical void in the existing work environment is gatherings around the proverbial water cooler, which facilitates daily chats about current events, hobbies and interests, social interactions that build bonds and teams, and opportunities for welcome breaks in the workday to clear the mind.

Managers should create a virtual water cooler by designating time each day for 15 to 30-minute coffee talks, depending on group sizes and workloads, that include semi-structured activities and enable employees to have valuable face time via video conferencing. Managers can poll the team about the best times of the day to host coffee talks. They should explain that while attending the talks is highly encouraged, there might be days when urgent projects/deadlines take precedence. Soliciting volunteers to coordinate and lead activities on a rotating, monthly basis encourages employee participation, promotes leadership skills and enables relationship building. When employees take the lead, they can more easily identify common interests, establish relevant formats and find ways to keep the team engaged and connected.

Develop the format

Managers and volunteers should develop a format tailored to the needs of the team, which can be fluid, structured or a combination of both to provide an optimal coffee talk experience. For example, some teams might need to have unstructured catch-up time every other day with planned activities on the remainder of the days, while other teams might prefer consistent daily activities and/or themes.

One of the advantages of coffee talk programs is that planners can experiment and request input because the ultimate goal is having dedicated time for face-to-face interactions that support an engaged workforce. The format should be inviting and not something employees dread, feel pressure to prepare for, or think is a waste of time. Coffee talks should create buzz and serve as a time that employees look forward to, offering a chance to decompress and leave energized to resume daily tasks. They are also critical for remote workers because it might be the only time during the workday they interact with others. This helps them remain connected to the team, culture and company.

Identify activities

Coffee talks are an ideal setting to incorporate Wordle into the agenda. Teams can create an account to virtually play the game daily, working together to solve the day’s new five-letter word and/or playing several practice games to extend the action. Wordle facilitates team building and encourages even those who are more reserved to take part in the activity. Conversely, employees who play the game at home can share and compare scores/stats from the previous night for friendly competition. Teams can also challenge other groups within the company to a monthly Wordle contest, helping to connect more people and expand networks, which is a great way for new employees to meet others.

An additional theme for coffee talks that can promote employee engagement is discussing the outcomes of sporting events, potential matchups and future winners. For example, the national sporting events get people buzzing and March Madness brackets/games are right around the corner. For employees not into sports, it can expand their horizons and/or even foster new interests and hobbies. In addition, with the prevalence of binge-watching and the continuous introduction of new programming, employees can talk about the latest shows, speculate on cliff hangers and make co-workers aware of new programs.

There are numerous activities that can be incorporated into coffee talks and employees can always find something to talk about that brings them together. Managers who can funnel these interactions into informal coffee talks are leveraging existing resources to encourage employee engagement and filling a critical need to keep employees connected, no matter the environment.

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Jill Chapman is a senior performance consultant with Insperity, a leading provider of human resources and business performance solutions.

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Houston researchers develop breakthrough device that could bypass spinal injuries

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Scientists at Houston Methodist have announced a significant leap forward for spinal cord injury recovery.

The researchers have developed a device that essentially bypasses spinal injuries, allowing signals from previously “lost” functions to reach the brain, a new study published in Nature Communications shows.

“Most current technologies try to improve whatever function remains after a spinal cord injury,” Dr. Damiano Barone, assistant professor of neurosurgery in the Department of Neurosurgery at Houston Methodist and co-lead on the study, said in a news release. “Our goal is different. Rather than fixing the injury itself, we want to bypass it completely and create an alternative route for signals to travel.”

The study involved a single ultrathin circumferential electrode array made to conform around the spinal cord without penetrating neural tissue, which was implanted into rodent and pig models with spinal injuries. The electrode array was able to interpret motor, sensory and autonomic signals around the injury. Think of it as a set of detours that restore road access to isolated towns after a disaster destroys the highway instead of just rebuilding the highway.

Over the course of three days, the arrays detected signals of intended movement from low-frequency spinal oscillations with more than 94 percent accuracy. This worked across species and was replicated in feasibility studies on human cadavers.

This research could serve as a new foundation for neuroprosthetic implants that could restore connectivity to the 2.5 million people worldwide suffering from spinal injuries that result in loss of ability. Future development could result in everything from restored organ function to mobility, according to Houston Methodist.

George Malliaras, the Prince Professor of Technology in the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge, who co-led the study, sees it as a fundamental restructuring of the science of spinal trauma.

“This could represent a paradigm change in how we think about spinal cord injuries,” Malliaras said. “Instead of starting from the idea that what is lost is gone forever, this approach asks whether we can restore function by carrying the signal around the injury.”

Further work involving laboratory models will need to be completed before launching human trials.

Grants from the National Institutes of Health, Houston Methodist Katz Investigator Award, Helaers Research Award and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council helped support the study. Other collaborators on the study include Salim Hadwe, Ruben Serrano, George Psaltakis, Margaux Forner, Chaeyeon Lee, Sydney Swedick, Moleca Ghnnam, Tawfique Hasan and Alejandro Carnicer-Lombarte from the University of Cambridge; and Anton Banta and Xueer Zhang from Houston Methodist.

Abbott assembles expert team to help lure U.S. Space Academy to Texas

space race

State Rep. Greg Bonnen of Friendswood has been tapped to lead a new team that will promote Texas as the future home of the U.S. Space Academy.

Bonnen, a neurosurgeon, chairs Houston Physicians’ Hospital and the powerful Texas House Appropriations Committee. His House district is close to NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

Gov. Greg Abbott appointed the seven-member team. Last month, President Trump signed an executive order establishing the Presidential Commission on the U.S. Space Academy. Commission members, who held their first meeting this month, will recommend a permanent location for the academy.

Texas officials are pushing a site near Johnson Space Center to host the academy. Alabama, Colorado and Florida are among Texas’ competitors.

In a joint statement, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and U.S. Rep. Brian Babin, both of Texas, issued a statement backing the state’s bid for the academy. Cruz lives in Houston. Babbin lives in Woodville, about 55 miles south of Beaumont.

“America’s space program is built across the country, but Texas is where the pieces come together,” the lawmakers said. “We are ready to lead the next generation of space pioneers and look forward to showing why Texas is the right home for the U.S. Space Academy.”

The academy’s curriculum will include technical education, leadership development and public service components. Graduates will be set up for careers in the U.S. military, civil service, and aerospace sectors.

The Abbott-appointed team will work with the Texas Space Commission to prepare the state’s proposal for the academy.

In addition to Bonnen, team members with ties to Houston include:

  • Robert Ambrose, who grew up in Houston. He worked at Johnson Space Center before becoming associate director of the Texas A&M Space Institute.
  • Former NASA astronaut Nancy Curry-Gregg, director of the Texas A&M Space Institute. She earned a doctoral degree from the University of Houston and previously worked at Johnson Space Center.
  • Former NASA astronaut Jack Fischer, senior vice president of Houston-based Intuitive Machines. The company builds spacecraft, delivers payloads to the moon and launches satellites.

“Texas is the home of America’s human spaceflight program,” Abbott said in a release. “No state can match what Texas brings to this mission.”

“NASA’s Johnson Space Center, world-class universities, a premier commercial space industry, major military installations, and an unmatched aerospace workforce give Texas every asset the United States Space Academy requires,” the governor added.

Houston university named No. 10 in nation and more top innovation news

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Editor's note: September sees a flurry of news for the innovation community, with one Houston university topping a nationwide ranking and one Houston-area NASA contractor poised to go public. Here are the five most-read Houston innovation headlines published September 1-15, 2026:

Houston university ranks No. 10 best in the U.S. in new 2027 report

Education ranking and review website Niche has released its 2027 rankings of the best colleges in the U.S., and Rice University leads as the No. 1 best university in Texas, and No. 10 best nationwide. Rice University ranked 10th in three national lists: Best Colleges in America, Top Private Universities, and Colleges with the Best Professors. Continue reading.

Houston-area NASA contractor plans Nasdaq IPO

Webster-based NASA contractor Rothe Development Inc. has filed paperwork with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to go public. Rothe, a minority- and woman-owned business, hasn’t yet identified how many shares it will sell and how much money its IPO might raise. Rothe plans to offer Class B common stock on the Nasdaq exchange. Continue reading.

10+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events for September

The energy transition and AI will be the talk of this town this month, thanks to a packed calendar of Houston events. September brings the return of Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week and some of its signature anchor events, plus AI conferences and talks exploring how the technology is impacting everything from healthcare to leadership. Here’s what not to miss and how to register. Continue reading.

Amazon's robotaxi service Zoox rolls out in 'sprawling' Houston market

Amazon-owned robotaxi ride-hailing service Zoox is zooming into Houston in September, becoming the latest robotaxi operator jockeying for local riders. Initially, self-driving retrofitted SUVs with safety drivers on board will serve downtown Houston, centrally located tourist hotspots, and certain residential neighborhoods. The SUVs will test Houston roads before Zoox rolls out autonomous robotaxis here, the company says. Continue reading.

10 Houston billionaires land on Forbes' 2026 list of richest Americans

The richest billionaires in America have a collective worth of $8 trillion in 2026, a staggering $1.4 trillion increase since last year, says Forbes. American billionaires are so wealthy that it now takes an unprecedented $4.4 billion net worth to be considered one of the richest people in the country. And one local billionaire has regained the title as Houston's wealthiest resident. Oil tycoon Jeffery Hildebrand, 67, now reigns as the No. 1 richest Houstonian, the 9th richest Texan, and the 88th richest person in America for 2026. Continue reading.

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