Things were good! Business as usual… And then Coronavirus swept hit the world. As the lights went out on face to face connection, meetings, and events so did the constant stream of client, the laughs in the office, even the funny stories we’d share after a tough day. It was all gone in an instant.
I remember watching the emails and roll in as all of our April functions were cancelled… and then May… and then June, July, and August. Not only did we lose much of our livelihood, we began to deeply feel the loss of our powerful ability to connect, not only with our clients, but with each other.
This space of loss has been felt by so many teams across the world. We’ve all had to hole up and figure out how to normalize and then optimize our work from home.
We needed a solution and we needed it fast! “Adapt or die” as they say in the classics! We brainstormed, we Zoomed and we got creative. Surprisingly, as we tested platforms and began doing practice runs, I felt a big boost of hope. I felt the zing of connection and the excitement buzzing. This new virtual platform was working.
Something magical was happening on our practice sessions as we worked together to build our Remote Virtual Online Programs. We were laughing, smiling, and connecting. We were feeling better, brighter, and reconnected with our company mission. I realized we were reaping the benefits of remote team building activities ourselves, just by building our new programs together. This felt good. I felt less isolated. Win-win.
WHY REMOTE TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES ARE VITAL
Though you might be tempted to shove the team building agenda to the back of the line during these difficult times, I urge you to push it to the front. Not only are Remote Online programs important right now, they are vitally beneficial to your employees’ mental health.
To be creative, productive, and engaged during times of stress, your employees need opportunities to connect; to create a sense of shared purpose.
Many studies have shown a drastic effect on the mental health of remote workers, not only in terms of issues like depression but also in terms of ability to focus and complete tasks effectively. Maintaining a sense of normalcy by cultivating connection and collaboration will help to combat difficult issues for your team members, helping to maintain a productive work culture. Remote team building activities can create a stronger feeling of community, bringing comfort and support to your team. The restorative and motivational power of these programs shouldn’t be underestimated.
KEY ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE REMOTE TEAM BUILDING
There are real challenges when it comes to choosing a truly engaging and worthwhile remote team building activity.
Many programs touted as virtual team building “games” or “virtual experiences” are essentially just glorified video games that everyone plays at the same time.
While this can be fun, these programs don’t provide a real sense of togetherness, of being tuned into each other while collaborating in real time.
Every team program should always increase or create engagement between the members of your team. And I mean every team program, be it virtual or face-to-face.
You really need to think about the following four objectives when planning a strategy for your team programs…
Always choose an online program that is led by a skilled facilitator. The facilitator is key to making sure these objectives can
, and creativity = MORE PRODUCTIVITY. You can develop these qualities in your Team through virtual activities that boost employee morale and are… FUN
