The Importance of Team Building: Socially Distant, Mentally Connected
With the current state of the world and social distancing, our team has learned to be creative with how we interact and spend time together. We’ve always been big fans of spending time with each other outside of work and getting to know the people we call our coworkers. There are times when we need to come together as a team and talk work, but bonds are really created when work is on the back-burner and we can unwind a little. That way, when we are back on the clock, it’s easier to collaborate and motivate each other.
Virtual Happy Hour
Cheers to coworkers who love wine! We were so happy to help our client Il Palio this summer with a practice run for their new Virtual Wine Tasting Package. Some of our teammates were able to kick back and be a part of a live wine tasting with Il Palio’s in-house sommelier, Annabel. This experience allowed us to help a client while also enjoying each other’s company and laughing at each other’s descriptions of the undernotes of each wine selection. Props to Jorden for knowing her wine jargon!
Virtual Games
Since we’ve been staying at home so much more, we tried a virtual team building one evening using the app, House Party! This app has several different game selections including a version of Pictionary, a form of Head’s Up, and many others. You log on virtually using your smartphone or tablet, then let the games begin! Our team’s favorite was the version of Pictionary, where you use your finger to draw what your screen prompts you to draw. Your other teammates can see what you’re drawing and try to guess. Let’s just say, we laughed more than anything. It was a way to connect and bond with our team, and for a second it felt like we were all back together!
Weekly Google Meet
Another thing our team does is connect weekly on Google Meet. Every Monday morning, we log on and go through what everyone has going on with their clients and to see what ideas we have collectively to work on. Here is when we brainstorm, motivate, and game plan. It really starts the week with a bang - but our favorite part? At the end of each hangout we have a “what can we help with” moment - almost like a mental check-in - here we can talk about any help we may need with a social media post, or even something that’s bothering us personally like anxiety, personal life, etc. It’s a great feeling to know that your work team has your back at work and your personal life if you’re up for sharing. Our conversations can range from how many followers our client gained last week to how exterminators are coming over to fix a mouse problem - ha! It gets interesting, but they’re all really great and collaborative and we log off feeling prepared, motivated, and creative for the rest of the week.
Client Photoshoots
We’ve been so excited to pick back up on our client photoshoots. It may seem odd to use these as ways to team build, but it’s actually quite perfect! During these client photoshoots the main objective is to collect photos to use for our social media clients. When we are in need of models or hand-models, we sometimes call a teammate to meet up with us and help out. During the photoshoot we collaborate on photo ideas, caption ideas, or even how we can get bloggers involved with certain campaigns. With a different set of eyes there, it really is a great collaborative atmosphere. And afterwards, we sit on a bench somewhere with a snack or coffee and talk about work, life, worldly things, etc. These events give us a great way to be socially distant but mentally connected.
