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What is the meaning of remote jobs?
The hybrid workplace is the new normal in the COVID-stricken world when the pandemic is still far from being over. Remote jobs mean hybrid work positions that allow flexibility for employees to work from home and attend the office on limited days.
It also helps organisations to fulfil their DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) goals, as they can attract and retain talented employees by allowing them to be flexible. However, there is one drawback of the remote work model—a lack of team bonding.
As your employees work from their own homes, they are separated from their colleagues and social circle. This limits interpersonal bonding over lunch, around the water cooler, and also over their cuppa breaks. Team building is essential as it fosters cohesiveness among employees so that they can together work towards the common goal of the organisation.
But with distance setting employees apart, how can you achieve this?
The answer is quite simple. You just need to get creative!
Meaningful Remote Team Activities
There are various activities that you can conduct virtually and make your team indulge in them. These activities promote team bonding and bring your employees closer to one another. Here are 10 such activities that you can try:
Virtual team lunch
There’s no place like the office pantry or canteen where employees get chatty and informal with their peers. Since remote working does not factor in this equation, you can solve this problem by organising a virtual team lunch. Ask your employees to be online through video conferencing when they have their lunch. Give them the environment to talk freely about work and home so that they can bond with one another.
An online game of treasure hunt
Games have the potential to provide your team members with some relaxation and get them in a competitive mode. Moreover, when games are played in teams, it builds bonds between the team members.
A treasure hunt is an exciting game which promotes competitiveness and bonding at the same time. Organise one for your team virtually and get your team members to participate. Divide your employees into multiple teams to foster team building and then set them up to participate in the hunt. Put up attractive rewards and incentives for the team that finishes first so that the employees are motivated to participate.
Create a virtual water cooler
The legendary water cooler symbolises a safe space for your employees to gossip and vent their hearts out. This creates bonds between them as they share their personal happiness and grief with their coworkers. So, rather than a physical water cooler, create a virtual one. Give your team a designated water cooler time wherein they can chat with their colleagues informally.
Host a talent show
A talent show recognises your employees’ hidden talents. It can also build bonds between them as they rate and discuss each other’s performance. Motivate your employees to showcase their hidden skills through a virtual talent show. Such activities give remote jobs meaning for employees!
Opt for a costume day
The formal office wear is professional and can also get monotonous and boring at times. Zing it up with a costume day. Organise a costume day and ask your employees to dress up according to a predefined theme or even as a celebrity. You can also make teams and give each team a theme to adhere to while dressing up. Rank each team’s performance and declare a winner for increasing competitiveness. Also, provide incentives or rewards to the winning team.
Organise a meditation program
Nothing beats stress like a good session of meditation. You can help your employees relax their minds by organising a meditation program. Moreover, by motivating your employees to participate in the program together, you can also establish the importance of team building.
Engage your employees in interesting games like word coach
Word Coach, a relatively new game, can foster bonding between employees. The game helps employees strengthen their English vocabulary, which can come in handy for office communications. As per the game, one employee can act as a mentor or coach for another and teach them the meanings of common English words. When played like a game, Word Coach can help build a bond between participating employees and also help them learn English in the process.
Hold a virtual ‘break the ice’ session
This is particularly relevant when a new team member joins the office milieu. To make the new member feel that they are a part of the team, hold a virtual session of ‘Break the Ice’. Considered a classic, ‘Break the Ice’ can help your team members get to know the new member.
The session can also work for existing team members. Wondering how?
It’s simple. Just ask your employees to get some new information about another employee, something that is not common knowledge, like a favourite show, a hidden talent, a quirk, anything. As your employees go digging, it would promote bonding among them.
Start a book club
Book clubs can work wonders in making your team members connect with each other. Moreover, it can be customised as per your team’s preference. Each week, the members can pick a book, a movie, or even a TV series and then discuss it at the end of the week. They can talk about their personal likes and dislikes about the chosen theme and bond with one another.
Conduct a ‘weekend vibe’ session
Another good idea is to motivate your employees to talk about their weekends on a Monday morning. It can serve a dual purpose. One, it can shoo away the dreaded Monday blues as your employees regale each other discussing the fun weekend they had. Two, it can foster team building as employees connect with each other when they share their personal experiences. Give meaning to remote jobs with these activities.
Even though your team doesn't get to meet face-to-face regularly, it should not affect the cohesiveness of your organisation. With a little effort, you can drive team-building activities and help your employees connect with each other. Remember, an organisation’s growth and success is a collective effort, not an independent one.
So, take inspiration from these activities and motivate your employees under adverse conditions. Understand the importance of team building as it is an integral aspect of employee morale. You can also invest in a group health insurance scheme to give your employees the financial security that they need in these trying times.
Your employees are an integral part of your organisation. Make sure that you nurture them so that they can realise their potential and prove to be an asset to the organisation.
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