Encourage virtual water cooler conversations
In any paradigm shift, human connection is important. Remote work is no exception.
There’s a need for remote teams to bond beyond work and companies need to foster a trade of mutual sharing. We’re talking virtual water cooler conversations. Because “team building” leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
Is there a way to reinforce camaraderie without making it seem a requisite?
Make online meetings an opportunity you lean on for support, ideas, and action
Prepare an icebreaker:
Make space for organic connections and small talks. A simple trivia, an anecdote shared, or even “what did you have for food today” — the sky’s the limit.
Invite authentic feedback:
Ask attendees what they agreed with most, what they liked least, and anything they’d like to see next time. Do polls. Raise emojis in the chat box. Encourage retrospective.
Send invites without an agenda:
Allow a few meetings to flow freely. Once in a while,
those “all hands on deck” meetings can wait. We’ll throw an example: ask attendees, what’s the one big change they want to make, and what series of smaller changes they’d make on the way. Great conversation starters.
Create clubs:
Let them connect over something they love. Cinema, books, music, the opportunities are endless. To avoid making it haphazard, appoint a dedicated member as the club coordinator. Let them organize events and explore interests. It can be a once in 15 days thing.
Lunch & learn:
It’s tricky to galvanise your remote team into eating lunch together. Hence, to promote participation, consider offering to reimburse attendees’ lunch for the day. The team can discuss recent company updates, the milestones achieved, skills development, workshops worth attending, etc.
More for your amusement
- 50% of remote workers miss their commute
- 45% miss in-person meetings
- 73% miss socializing with their colleagues
- 37% miss having a daily routine tied to their day
- 64% miss fewer distractions at the office compared to home
(Source: Indeed)
Why it matters:
In Buffer’s State of Remote Work 2020 report, loneliness was “the biggest struggle for 20% of remote employees”. If we forsake the perks on the surface — in the abyss — people may be longing for the structure and routine their office lives offered before the pandemic dramatically threw its new norms.
The bright side: Organizations are getting creative in ensuring a collaborative team even across screens. Worldwide, 2500% more organizations are investing in virtual team building by double-downing on encouraging staff to engage outside work matters. Singapore shows the highest interest while The United States is second, in virtual team building, followed by Australia, Canada, and South Africa. (Source: Team Building)
Must we say, it’s a relief to see companies NOT putting team building on the back burner? Before your next virtual meeting, do introspect.
