A move to telework doesn’t mean team building and collaboration come to a halt.
In fact, if staff is working remotely, it may be even more important to put an emphasis on workplace connections and communication.
Remote workers can often feel isolated and disconnected from their work. That can lead to bigger problems in the workplace, including a breakdown in communication and even a lack of trust among colleagues.
Effective team building can help to build trust and show employees they are valued—leading to overall greater job satisfaction.And according to Fistful of Talent, the jury is still out when it comes to remote work. One of the biggest issues is the loss of "casual collaboration" amongst coworkers.
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel for virtual team building. All it takes is a little creativity and a willingness to connect remotely.
Consider trying these four activities:
1.) Picture This - As an icebreaker before your next meeting, select a theme and have everyone snap a picture that fits into the theme. You can have folks try to guess where the photo was taken, or each photographer can share why they chose the subject.
2.) Give Kudos - A Kudoboard allows team members to give shoutouts and share their appreciation for others on a virtual, visual message board. Companies including Hilton, LinkedIn and H&R Block use Kudoboard to give their distributed teams a morale boost—and the idea applies to virtual teams, too! You could also urge employees to give kudos via a custom hashtag on social media.
"I miss the spontaneity of talking with people in the moment and seeing them face to face. The next best thing is connecting on Teams in a group department chat. If someone has an interesting or funny tidbit to share they will post it and usually get a good response. Sometimes I will throw out a question such as "Coffee or TEA?" People will vote and it starts a 5 minute spontaneous conversation... we also get to know one another a little better by doing those super simple polls. ANONYMOUS !!"
Melissa Pardales, Ulliance Manager of Account Services
3.) Grab a Cup of Joe - Our days are filled with formal calls and video conferences, but by not being in the office, we’re missing out on organic chances to connect with each other. Informal, optional 15- to 30-minute coffee breaks over video lets colleagues reconnect and catchup—important activities that foster a positive workplace culture.
4.) Tell a Lie - Depending on the size of the group, you may need to schedule a standalone meeting for this exercise. Select an emcee and have participants send ahead of time three statements about themselves: two truths and one lie. During the activity, the emcee reads each person’s statements and the others in the group try to guess which statement is false. When everyone is invested, this activity lets colleagues get to know each other in a new way.
When organizations partner with Ulliance we provide many value added services. Our Smart Manager Webinar series is just one example. Get a sneak peek and watch this webinar we featured several months ago for our clients.
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Now more than ever, your employees need emotional support and resources to boost their morale. The global quarantine has created a whole new set of physical, financial and emotional stressors that have woven their way into the home and workplace.
When you partner with Ulliance, our Life Advisor Consultants are always just a phone call away to teach ways to enhance your work/life balance and increase your happiness. The Ulliance Life Advisor Employee Assistance Program can help employees and employers come closer to a state of total well-being.
Combining years of clinical experience and the formation of a meaningful partnership with an organization’s human resources department, Ulliance is among the best EAP providers, and our experts can tailor recommendations for a variety of work\life circumstances.
To learn how we can help, give call us at 866.648.8326.
The Ulliance Employee Assistance Program can address the
following issues:
• Stress about work or job performance
• Crisis in the workplace
• Conflict resolution at work or in one’s personal life
• Marital or relationship problems
• Child or elder care concerns
• Financial worries
• Mental health problems
• Alcohol/substance abuse
• Grief
• Interpersonal conflicts
• AND MORE!