Non-negotiable tech: Keeping your culture connected as WFH/ Virtual First teams: Cultural Tech Stack

Now that we are 2 years into COVID, I'm really curious about what has become non-negotiable for growing teams when it comes to staying connected with teammates and coworkers. We often talk about the CS tools used to serve customers, but what are you using that approximates casual conversations and 'watercooler' chat that traditionally happens in a physical office? As a group that is often virtual, I'd love to hear what people are finding non-negotiable in their work-a-day worlds.

What have you found to be absolutely invaluable in building community though people are apart?

• Asynchronous team/ org updates (intranet, slack, ?)
• Watercooler chat (Slack, ?)
• Peer or Employee Recognition?
• Getting a pulse on employee engagement?

Beyond our most visible tools (email tools, zoom/teams/meet/etc), what has made a radical difference for you and your team?