With the latest advice from the coronavirus task force to limit gathering to groups with 10 or fewer, many companies across the country have decided to implement teleworking policies to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Whether your company always works remotely or is doing so temporarily, there are very real benefits gained from offering this flexibility to employees.
But it does take some forethought to build or maintain a team when you're not physically in the same place.
In order to build a cohesive remote team, there needs to be consistent communication between team members. It's important to minimize the potential negative impact of feeling isolated or working alone, especially right now, when employees might feel anxious about the coronavirus or things outside their control.
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Get that blood flowing! The reasons to avoid sitting down too much are well-documented. To stay active, boost your endorphins, and keep everyone engaged, set an achievable, regular fitness routine for your team.
This can include everything from stretches to squats to cardio goals. It's important to ask your team what exercises they would feel most comfortable with, or let them set personal goals and have regular wellness and accountability check-ins.
When you're in the office, it's easy to bump into someone on the way to the break room, kitchen, or to grab lunch. But why not have those same moments of connection while teleworking? Sure, some of the spontaneity is gone, but you can—and should—still make time to have video chats and fun conversations with your coworkers.
Set aside time to reach out to your team members and talk about anything other than work. Refresh your brain by taking a break from the grind and learning more about your coworkers.
Everyone knows puppy videos heal the soul. A good meme, funny GIF, or uplifting video can brighten anyone's day. Make sure to share all that beautiful content with your peers to keep their spirits up as well.
Music can actually boost your mood and help with mental health. Sharing music offers a glimpse of yourself to the person you share it with. By creating a team playlist where anyone can add songs, you're capturing a collage of your coworkers' selves. Of course, always be conscientious of the subject matter and lyrics you're sharing, and lay out some agreed-upon groundrules to avoid any conflict. And no, The Rolling Stones versus The Beatles does not count as conflict.
Looking for more ways to stay connected with your remote team? We can help! Just reach out to hear about our remote connection games and activities.