Virtual team building and learning
The world of business has changed to a large extent in the past year. All the companies that have the possibility to work remotely have switched to working from home. The pandemic has turned the business sector upside down, but every cloud has a silver lining. Though remote work has some negative sides, there is plenty of ways to overcome these and enjoy the good sides.
You’d have to admit it can be difficult to maintain a positive and collaborative atmosphere within a team if a vast majority of the team members have never seen each other in person, or at least have not gathered for a long period of time.
The employees may lose track of the fact that their coworkers are real people if they only communicate via chatting apps during the shift.
This impression then expands to the idea of the work itself – it becomes something fictional, not something realistic in one’s mind. It is important to break that illusion as soon as possible since it can seriously affect both the overall quality of the work done and individuals’ performance. What can an employer do about it? Strengthen the bond between the team members. Use the advantages of modern technology.
Team buildings were always a really important part of work for any company that has a dedicated HR team. They were an essential part of the yearly budget. Not having the option to travel with the team, organize sports activities and just sit around has motivated HR people to come with different creative ideas to bond teams working from home. Some of the best practices up until now are:
#1 Movie night with the team
All team members can vote and based on the results schedule a movie night. Making it a regular recurring thing, per month, quarter, a week has proved as the most effective technique. It can create a lot of new topics for discussion all around the company and bring team members closer.
#2 Desk picture sharing
It is as easy as it sounds and really effective. Someone will share a picture of their cat sitting at the keyboard, messy desk, or high-end gaming setup. Guessing game which image belongs to whom on the team could also be a great idea for one separate bonding session.
#3 Virtual Gaming Session
There are plenty of ways to organize these. Engaging the companies specialized for organizing such events, just like Outback Team Building, or buying a license for a popular short multiplayer game for your team. This can not only bond them but also enhance their productivity and motivation for work-related tasks.
There are more ways for employees to connect on a deeper level while working remotely. A team can organize a kind of online classroom. People can gather around the topics they prefer and learn something new to share with the team. The future of learning is already present. Acquiring knowledge from e-learning platforms has made learning funnier than ever and remote workers can enjoy their lessons in a form they fancy – a video game, branching scenarios, explainer videos, and many more.
Team members can access their learning anytime and anywhere – in the comfort of their sofa, while waiting in a row, in the public transport, or anywhere else with New Age Learning. Broadening one’s mind has never been easier!
Once the topic is covered, the employees can have an online meeting on Teams or Zoom and discuss what they have learned and how just like the members of a literary club. This can be done even when it comes to some company’s internal training and courses.
Technology advancements and new ways of learning make even remote work easier and entertaining, allowing the employees to stay in touch without as if they were working from the office
