Do you run a business? Or run a team and team activities? Chances are that if you do, you will be facing a few challenges right now. After two years of being trapped in a pandemic, employees are battling more than ever to get back to business as usual.
The working environment has changed completely. For the first time, team members are choosing to work more remotely, social anxiety after the pandemic has increased, mental health issues have increased and offices are at half capacities as more and more people choose to work from home.
So, how do you as a leader maintain momentum in the business? How can you ensure that your employees are given a space to thrive and be productive, while at the same time feeling comfortable in the new normal? We took a look at how you can start heightening teamwork, increasing integration, and start making your employees feel like they are a part of the team again.
Table of Contents
Host a Lunch and Learn
It involves food. It involves learning. We are invested! A lunch and learn program not only enables your employees to learn valuable skills and expand their knowledge but also allows them to get to know each other. According to Hoppier, it is a really fun concept that combines learning and social event. It is one of the easiest ways to maximize professional development, skill-building, and team bonding at the same time.
Usually taking place internally, these lunch and learn sessions provide an opportunity to cover a specific topic through a relevant seminar, training session, or discussion session. You can consider them for product training, life skill training, cross-business education or meet the teams, along with various others.
Schedule Happy Hours
This is usually something that takes place once a week, usually on Fridays toward the end of the day. As the team winds down for the week, organizing a happy hour not only thanks them for their hard work during the week but also gives you a chance to recognize team members for their outstanding work.
Happy hours are usually unrelated to work, which is a great opportunity for team members to get to know each other on a more personal level. Remember that outside of a stressful work environment, you can see the real person behind the employee. Teams who have more of a personal connection with each other have been shown to be more tolerant and understanding of each other, and work together better.
Make Space for a Chill Zone to Enhance Your Team Activities
We have all seen and heard about these, especially in tech companies and startups, but they have been proven to be effective. And that is even more the case now, after lockdowns and work-from-home restrictions have started lifting.
Everyone works at a different pace and in a different manner. Some prefer to step away from their desk for a while to “re-adjust” while others prefer a change of environment while working. Some companies have even included games areas, introducing table tennis or pool tables. This has been shown to release tension and refresh employees halfway through the day.
Have a Breakfast or Brunch Power Meeting
We all dread those Monday morning meetings. Reviews of the past week, reports, strategies for the upcoming weeks. Blue Mondays are a reality because of these meetings. Companies globally have started to change these meetings up and rather look at having a roundtable with breakfast or brunch.
Not only are they more likely to be better attended, but the additional factor of fuelling participants during the meeting heightens productivity. Creativity levels are heightened and the atmosphere is more conversational, allowing for more ideas to be considered.
Introduce Pampering Sessions
High-pressure environments usually mean higher levels of stress and anxiety. We have experienced several brands hiring mobile massage therapists to provide head, shoulder, and even back massages to employees at their desks while they work.
Not only does it help reduce your employees’ stress levels but also increases relaxation, makes them more productive, and makes them feel more appreciated. They also improve circulation, energy and alertness and lower heart rate and blood pressure. All-in-all, a massage once every now and then for your employees simply means less stressed and healthier people in your office.
The Bottom Line
Many companies forget that their most productive employees are their happiest. Employee satisfaction is one of the largest factors for employee retention in companies. Regular appreciation is also highly beneficial and a healthy work-life balance, with regular time off is critical post-2020.
In fact, if it wasn’t that important, countries all over the world would not be considering a four-day workweek. Remember, employees make up the backbone of your company, so treat them with respect and you will reap the rewards.
