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\n\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\nWhile most are happy with more flexible work patterns, working from home has downsides. Social media app firm Buffer asked 3,500 remote workers worldwide what they felt was the biggest struggle of working remotely. \u201cCollaboration and communication\u201d and \u201cloneliness\u201d came joint top. Remote team building could improve upon both issues.<\/p>\n
But when I asked Dr. Christine Grant, Deputy Head of Coventry University\u2019s School of Psychological, Social and Behavioral Sciences and author of Agile Working and Well-Being in the Digital Age<\/a>, she cautioned. Employers should make sure they don\u2019t overload the schedules of people already spending swathes of their day on Zoom or Microsoft Teams calls.<\/p>\nIf you can use technology to support team-building activities, that\u2019s a positive. But you need to do enough of it, not too much. It\u2019s about stimulating teams in a creative way to keep their attention. If you end up with people sitting in on a virtual activity and checking their emails, it won\u2019t be beneficial.<\/p>\nDr. Christine Grant, Deputy Head, School of Psychological, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Coventry University<\/p><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n
Virtual team building business is booming<\/h2>\n
How can companies best engage scattered teams who may be suffering from videoconferencing fatigue? Many employers, particularly small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs,) have been content to take an informal approach, with activities led by people within the organization. HR insider magazines have come up with plenty of ideas that can work over video, from trivia quizzes and icebreaker games to office book clubs and a good old-fashioned Friday social.<\/p>\n
For something closer to the traditional day out of the office, expert guidance can help. Andy Wells, owner and founder of London-based team builders Zing Events<\/a>, has worked with most FTSE 100 companies. Before 2020, he\u2019d already noticed an uptick in demand for virtual events and had added app activities and remote options for events usually held live.<\/p>\nBut the pandemic forced more radical change in the company\u2019s model. \u201cThe number of events we run has increased massively. We were running around 300 live events a year, but we now have over 150 virtual bookings a month. Now we\u2019re working remotely, we can meet this demand. Staff don\u2019t have to travel around the country, so we can fit several events into one day. Before, our people would have to pick up the equipment, drive to the venue, set everything up, then run the activity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Timmon Whitehead, Managing Director of another team building outfit, White Rhino<\/a>, said the company decided to ramp up its virtual offerings in March 2020, concentrating on tried-and-tested escape rooms and food-and-drink masterclasses previously offered live. These proved popular, and Whitehead puts down to employers wanting to recognize and reward staff efforts at a time of crisis. \u201cPeople worked hard over lockdown, going above and beyond to keep things moving,\u201d he says. \u201cThe activities are a welcome break from that, and a chance to socialize with teammates and colleagues. People may constantly see each other on video calls, but they hardly get a chance to relax and enjoy time together. Virtual activities like socials and team challenges give that opportunity, and that\u2019s why they\u2019ve been so well received.\u201d<\/p>\nMurder mysteries or cocktail classes?<\/h2>\n
There are broadly two types of remote team building activity. First, those entirely in the virtual realm. These rely on a bespoke app alongside videoconferencing on a laptop or desktop. Teams chat and collaborate while solving challenges and accumulating points, usually against a time limit, with a live leader board to keep it competitive. Popular scenarios include puzzle trails, crime-scene investigations and escape rooms. Wells estimates 40 percent of their bookings in the past year have been for the virtual escape room. Part of the appeal of virtual events is affordability \u2013 they can normally be run by one facilitator, cutting overheads. Team members can take part from anywhere.<\/p>\n
The second type of team-building event involves real-world activities overseen by an expert, for example, cook-alongs and cocktail masterclasses with ingredients received in advance. Though technically simpler, needing just videoconferencing, these events involve more logistics for all. To take part in a cook-along, employees need access to a kitchen and oven and must banish anyone else who shares the house to another room for the duration. Couriering equipment and ingredients to each participant comes at a cost.<\/p>\n
When virtual meets physical<\/h2>\n
The most sophisticated activities combine real-life and virtual elements. White Rhino\u2019s Around The World Team Challenge<\/a> uses a bespoke app to take participants on a journey through 22 countries. Players solve clues, answer questions and complete physical challenges, like learning kung fu moves in China, registered by image-recognition technology. Tasks earn travel credits, tallied up to determine where each team finishes.<\/p>\n\u201cThe physical element is there by design,\u201d says Whitehead. \u201cMany people now know the feeling of sitting at their desk in the morning, then looking up to find it\u2019s six o\u2019clock \u2013 you\u2019ve been in the same place all day. Anything we can do to get people up and about and be more active is fantastic, but we\u2019re conscious it needs to be suitable for everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reputable events providers have a support team on hand to help with technical issues. They pay heed to security and encryption \u2013 guarding against the sort of \u201cZoombombing\u201d intrusions<\/a> that captured headlines last year when gatecrashers disrupted video meetings with pornography and other shock content.<\/p>\nTo get the most out of a virtual activity, teams need to be comfortable using the technology. On this front, Wells noticed a change over 2020.<\/p>\n
In the first couple of months of the pandemic, we had to do more hand-holding and answer more questions. But people got used to the technology fast. It\u2019s now second nature to use tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and productivity apps.<\/p>\nAndy Wells, owner and founder, Zing Events<\/p><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n
Dr. Grant notes tech-savviness is often generational. While older employees may have smartphones or tablets and find them helpful, they may find it harder to use more complex features. \u201cYoung people tend to use their phones for multiple activities, including playing games during downtime,\u201d she says. \u201cBut it\u2019s not so easy for everyone to do that, and you may lose a few people who would have engaged in face-to-face activities more easily. You don\u2019t want technology to become an inhibitor \u2013 activities need to be accessible to all.\u201d<\/p>\n
The hybrid future of work<\/h2>\n
Keeping participants focused on the task rather than catching up on workplace gossip can also be a challenge. While co-workers may have had much formal contact through video calls with a specific task or agenda, they may not have had the chance to meet more informally \u2013 the \u201cwatercooler\u201d conversations vital for team cohesion.<\/p>\n
This prompted Wells\u2019 company to make a simple tweak. \u201cOur presenters used to get to the end, wrap up and finish the call. Now we leave the virtual meeting room open, so people can keep engaging and chatting. That\u2019s gone down well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Future work trend-spotters suggest \u201chybrid working\u201d will soon become the norm<\/a>. A recent survey of employees, managers and senior executives across several countries suggested a typical weekly schedule may involve a mix of remote and office-based work<\/a>.<\/p>\nThis chimes with team-building companies. They\u2019re developing offerings to accommodate both on-site and remote participants. Whitehead says, \u201cWe\u2019re anticipating companies will return to running live events but will offer a virtual element as well. So if people aren\u2019t able to attend, or don\u2019t feel comfortable doing so, they can take part from their own home, playing the same game virtually and contributing to the same score as team members who take part live.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whatever the shape of work to come, virtual team building will remain a part of the toolkit for companies wanting to maintain a happy, connected workforce. Dr. Grant says, \u201cWith remote working, agile working or home working, socialization can be a problem. Even if you have on-screen meetings all the time, it\u2019s easy to feel invisible and isolated.<\/p>\n
All you need to know about business and the future<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
While most are happy with more flexible work patterns, working from home has downsides. Social media app firm Buffer asked 3,500 remote workers worldwide what they felt was the biggest struggle of working remotely. \u201cCollaboration and communication\u201d and \u201cloneliness\u201d came joint top. Remote team building could improve upon both issues.<\/p>\n
But when I asked Dr. Christine Grant, Deputy Head of Coventry University\u2019s School of Psychological, Social and Behavioral Sciences and author of Agile Working and Well-Being in the Digital Age<\/a>, she cautioned. Employers should make sure they don\u2019t overload the schedules of people already spending swathes of their day on Zoom or Microsoft Teams calls.<\/p>\n If you can use technology to support team-building activities, that\u2019s a positive. But you need to do enough of it, not too much. It\u2019s about stimulating teams in a creative way to keep their attention. If you end up with people sitting in on a virtual activity and checking their emails, it won\u2019t be beneficial.<\/p>\n Dr. Christine Grant, Deputy Head, School of Psychological, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Coventry University<\/p><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n How can companies best engage scattered teams who may be suffering from videoconferencing fatigue? Many employers, particularly small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs,) have been content to take an informal approach, with activities led by people within the organization. HR insider magazines have come up with plenty of ideas that can work over video, from trivia quizzes and icebreaker games to office book clubs and a good old-fashioned Friday social.<\/p>\n For something closer to the traditional day out of the office, expert guidance can help. Andy Wells, owner and founder of London-based team builders Zing Events<\/a>, has worked with most FTSE 100 companies. Before 2020, he\u2019d already noticed an uptick in demand for virtual events and had added app activities and remote options for events usually held live.<\/p>\n But the pandemic forced more radical change in the company\u2019s model. \u201cThe number of events we run has increased massively. We were running around 300 live events a year, but we now have over 150 virtual bookings a month. Now we\u2019re working remotely, we can meet this demand. Staff don\u2019t have to travel around the country, so we can fit several events into one day. Before, our people would have to pick up the equipment, drive to the venue, set everything up, then run the activity.\u201d<\/p>\n Timmon Whitehead, Managing Director of another team building outfit, White Rhino<\/a>, said the company decided to ramp up its virtual offerings in March 2020, concentrating on tried-and-tested escape rooms and food-and-drink masterclasses previously offered live. These proved popular, and Whitehead puts down to employers wanting to recognize and reward staff efforts at a time of crisis. \u201cPeople worked hard over lockdown, going above and beyond to keep things moving,\u201d he says. \u201cThe activities are a welcome break from that, and a chance to socialize with teammates and colleagues. People may constantly see each other on video calls, but they hardly get a chance to relax and enjoy time together. Virtual activities like socials and team challenges give that opportunity, and that\u2019s why they\u2019ve been so well received.\u201d<\/p>\n There are broadly two types of remote team building activity. First, those entirely in the virtual realm. These rely on a bespoke app alongside videoconferencing on a laptop or desktop. Teams chat and collaborate while solving challenges and accumulating points, usually against a time limit, with a live leader board to keep it competitive. Popular scenarios include puzzle trails, crime-scene investigations and escape rooms. Wells estimates 40 percent of their bookings in the past year have been for the virtual escape room. Part of the appeal of virtual events is affordability \u2013 they can normally be run by one facilitator, cutting overheads. Team members can take part from anywhere.<\/p>\n The second type of team-building event involves real-world activities overseen by an expert, for example, cook-alongs and cocktail masterclasses with ingredients received in advance. Though technically simpler, needing just videoconferencing, these events involve more logistics for all. To take part in a cook-along, employees need access to a kitchen and oven and must banish anyone else who shares the house to another room for the duration. Couriering equipment and ingredients to each participant comes at a cost.<\/p>\n The most sophisticated activities combine real-life and virtual elements. White Rhino\u2019s Around The World Team Challenge<\/a> uses a bespoke app to take participants on a journey through 22 countries. Players solve clues, answer questions and complete physical challenges, like learning kung fu moves in China, registered by image-recognition technology. Tasks earn travel credits, tallied up to determine where each team finishes.<\/p>\n \u201cThe physical element is there by design,\u201d says Whitehead. \u201cMany people now know the feeling of sitting at their desk in the morning, then looking up to find it\u2019s six o\u2019clock \u2013 you\u2019ve been in the same place all day. Anything we can do to get people up and about and be more active is fantastic, but we\u2019re conscious it needs to be suitable for everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n Reputable events providers have a support team on hand to help with technical issues. They pay heed to security and encryption \u2013 guarding against the sort of \u201cZoombombing\u201d intrusions<\/a> that captured headlines last year when gatecrashers disrupted video meetings with pornography and other shock content.<\/p>\n To get the most out of a virtual activity, teams need to be comfortable using the technology. On this front, Wells noticed a change over 2020.<\/p>\n In the first couple of months of the pandemic, we had to do more hand-holding and answer more questions. But people got used to the technology fast. It\u2019s now second nature to use tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and productivity apps.<\/p>\n Andy Wells, owner and founder, Zing Events<\/p><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n Dr. Grant notes tech-savviness is often generational. While older employees may have smartphones or tablets and find them helpful, they may find it harder to use more complex features. \u201cYoung people tend to use their phones for multiple activities, including playing games during downtime,\u201d she says. \u201cBut it\u2019s not so easy for everyone to do that, and you may lose a few people who would have engaged in face-to-face activities more easily. You don\u2019t want technology to become an inhibitor \u2013 activities need to be accessible to all.\u201d<\/p>\n Keeping participants focused on the task rather than catching up on workplace gossip can also be a challenge. While co-workers may have had much formal contact through video calls with a specific task or agenda, they may not have had the chance to meet more informally \u2013 the \u201cwatercooler\u201d conversations vital for team cohesion.<\/p>\n This prompted Wells\u2019 company to make a simple tweak. \u201cOur presenters used to get to the end, wrap up and finish the call. Now we leave the virtual meeting room open, so people can keep engaging and chatting. That\u2019s gone down well.\u201d<\/p>\n Future work trend-spotters suggest \u201chybrid working\u201d will soon become the norm<\/a>. A recent survey of employees, managers and senior executives across several countries suggested a typical weekly schedule may involve a mix of remote and office-based work<\/a>.<\/p>\n This chimes with team-building companies. They\u2019re developing offerings to accommodate both on-site and remote participants. Whitehead says, \u201cWe\u2019re anticipating companies will return to running live events but will offer a virtual element as well. So if people aren\u2019t able to attend, or don\u2019t feel comfortable doing so, they can take part from their own home, playing the same game virtually and contributing to the same score as team members who take part live.\u201d<\/p>\n Whatever the shape of work to come, virtual team building will remain a part of the toolkit for companies wanting to maintain a happy, connected workforce. Dr. Grant says, \u201cWith remote working, agile working or home working, socialization can be a problem. Even if you have on-screen meetings all the time, it\u2019s easy to feel invisible and isolated.<\/p>\nVirtual team building business is booming<\/h2>\n
Murder mysteries or cocktail classes?<\/h2>\n
When virtual meets physical<\/h2>\n
The hybrid future of work<\/h2>\n