How many times have we all said that we need an extra-long break away from everything? Or, how physically going to work is SUCH a drag? Well, I think we could all agree that we’ve probably said one of those statements at least once in our lifetimes, but that was before 2020 hit. This past year, our wishes came true and not only did we get an extremely long stay-at-home vacation, but almost all of us have had to start working from home as well. And while this sounds great at first, it too came with its own share of trials and tribulations.
One of the hardest things about working from home is the feeling of isolation that comes along with it. There is no passing your coworkers in the hallway, no coffee breaks, and no lunch dates. The workplace has basically transformed into a person, a computer, a whole lot of zoom meetings, and maybe a screaming child or barking dogs in the background. Basically, it’s just not the same. The well-being of employees should be of utmost importance and connecting with coworkers tends to have a large effect on that.
So, how can we foster team connection even when working remotely? Here are some tips on how to engage your team members and make them feel happy and appreciated while on the clock.
Ask the team how they like to connect. Whether it be through Zoom meetings or a chat app like Slack.
Slack and chat rooms alike can help employees engage in a more natural way.
Various channels can be used for work-related and non-work-related conversation.
This gives space for team members to joke, socialize, and have fun.
Weekly check-ins and meetings via Zoom or Google Meet can help contribute to a productive work environment.
This can get everyone into the same “room” to talk about updates, achievements, and goals.
Share a team calendar.
This isn’t only an awesome way to organize work-related projects and events, but it is also an amazing way to remind people of personal events such as employee birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
Create group team-building activities.
Here at Castle and Rook, we love to play games together such as online escape rooms or party board games.
Happy hours and “shared” lunches are always a good idea via Zoom as well!
Even though employees are physically distanced from each other, it does not mean that connection cannot still happen. Thanks to the internet there are endless possibilities to engage with your employees and make them feel less isolated from each other. Reminding everyone that we are all in this together and becoming a little bit more understanding may be the best tip yet.
This being said, communication can still happen and connection can still flourish. Thank you 2020 for teaching us how to become even more adaptable and foster connection no matter what the circumstances are.