Shared Reading in the Workplace Q&A – The Reader

Colleagues Jen Jarman and Jess Harrison are co-founders of a lunchtime Shared Reading group for staff at The Reader’s home in Calderstones Park, Liverpool, based on George Eliot’s most controversial Victorian novel, Daniel Deronda. It began as a deliberate effort to rebuild office culture following the pandemic and has been a weekly fixture ever since.

How did the Daniel Deronda Shared Reading group come about? 

Jess: We co-founded the group in 2021 and chose Daniel Deronda as it’s my colleague Jen’s favourite book, and we are only just about halfway through the novel – so it will be running for a good while longer! 

Jen: George Eliot is one of the key writers who powered the vision of The Reader. After Covid we were trying to build back office culture to try to create a sense of community and momentum. 

Why Daniel Deronda – what do you feel is so special about this novel? 

Jen: George Eliot is a brilliant writer and a couple of characters really resonate with me. It’s a surprising book and feels much more contemporary than other ‘classics’ but is also deeply human and enjoyable.  

Because it deals with some hefty and challenging subject matter and has no straightforward characters, it illustrates how people can be morally complex.  

In an age of cancel culture and where there’s a lot of outrage on social media it gives that safe space for staff to discuss difficult topics that are very ‘live’ in today’s society - and examines a way to discover and build on commonalities. 

And, of course, Shared Reading is the perfect way into a book such as this that you might not brave if reading solo. 

Can you describe the vibe? 

Jen: Very relaxed. Like any Shared Reading group, there’s no pressure to read aloud or say anything. There’s no expectation to come every week – staff just drop in when their working patterns and diary allow and enjoy connecting with other colleagues.  

What do you feel is special about the experience of Shared Reading in the Workplace? 

Jess: It helps you to understand your colleagues better, as you talk about things you would not talk about in a meeting, and as a result helps you build stronger personal and professional relationships. 

Jen: It gives a sense of community and friendship with colleagues which is really important.

Workloads can be intense and it’s nice to know colleagues as individuals and makes for a happier workplace, enriching office culture. Our Friday group is relaxing and enjoyable.

It goes beyond talking about what’s on TV towards having deeper conversation. 

What feedback have you had from other staff? 

Jess: We had one new starter who said it felt a bit like when you’re in a nightclub toilet and hear girls outside talking about their love lives – only we’re talking and reflecting primarily on what’s going on for the main character Gwendolen. It goes beyond surface chat to explore quite serious life experiences with compassion and nuance. 

Jen: Those of us who have read together have formed deep friendships. We've read together on people's last day of work – bringing in cake and celebrating. 

How does Shared Reading fit into the culture and community of The Reader? 

Jess: I feel our group is a safe space for people to talk about difficult and complex subjects. The book explores problematic attitudes to different communities within Victorian society which still impact us today. The novel has challenging viewpoints expressed by some characters and the group provides an opportunity to name, confront and address them. 

Jen: In our line of work, it helps you to be a better advocate for Shared Reading. One of the best things is to see your colleagues feeling enthused by Shared Reading and why it matters, which builds a real sense of camaraderie and common purpose. 

How has the experience of Shared Reading in the workplace positively impacted you?  

Jen: I love it! When I first moved here, I knew no one in Liverpool and didn’t have friends or family within 100 miles. My colleagues were like family to me, and I am really keen that new people coming into The Reader have a sense of that too. The group is something I look forward to at the end of the week that’s both energising and relaxing. I feel noticeably better at the end of a session. 

Jess: It was the first time I'd seen some of my own quirks of thought represented in the pages of a book - and one written 150 years ago at that! It feels very modern, despite being set in Victorian England. I enjoy the continuity of reading this novel from week to week – it's something different to think about in your lunchtime and helps you switch off. When it’s warm we often read outdoors in the park.  

If I move to a different place of work in the future, I’d like to start up another Shared Reading group as part of a wellbeing programme.  

Why do you feel other organisations would benefit from Shared Reading in the workplace? 

Jen: Shared Reading offers a time when staff can step away from work and it helps with workplace relationships by bringing about a sense of closeness. In a one-to-one context with a line manager, it can also provide an opportunity to raise difficult topics or conversations in a less confrontational way. In other organisations where staff attend Shared Reading sessions alongside the people they support, we consistently hear that it helps them to build better relationships, leads to greater job satisfaction and improves their wellbeing.  

The Reader can create a training and support package for companies, charities and organisations to enable staff to deliver Shared reading groups themselves.  

It can also offer taster or one-off sessions for groups who may want a Shared Reading session less frequently or wish to hold a Shared Reading session to focus on a particular theme or issue such as conflict resolution, confidence building or to explore texts that help facilitate difficult conversations. 

Central to this is creating a space where people – regardless of age, background or ability – feel safe, valued and listened to.  

For further information about The Reader’s Shared Reading in the Workplace visit here or please contact development@thereader.org.uk