How to bring your team together in the 'work from home' era

With the work environment changing as quickly as Tory cabinet ministers, work places can be excused for feeling like they're forever adapting to new challenges. From covid security, to the zoom boom and beyond, it's been a case of evolve to survive, fear not, as we move head first in to a new work landscape, the Seventa team are here to guide you through it...

As of March 2022, 66% of UK employees were still working "mostly" or "full time" remotely - a number that would have been unthinkable pre pandemic. Indeed, a further 22% envisaged WFH being their preferred method for the future.

While remote work has a number of positive benefits for both companies and their employees, it also poses a number of challenges. One study polled employees about their biggest remote-work struggle, and the top challenges were collaboration and communication & loneliness (both polling at 20%). This was never more obvious to us than at a recent event we hosted on behalf of a national client of whom 80% of their 300+ employees had yet to meet!

Taking all of this into consideration we set about providing our top suggestions for fun and innovative ways to bring your team together in real life :

1. Awards Night

The pandemic saw its fair share of heroes and it's time to remind the team the part they played!

Indeed, one of the biggest draw backs from the work from home era is the lack of recognition staff can feel. With communication via email and zoom lacking the authenticity of 1-1 interaction, awards nights give the perfect opportunity to introduce the team to new rising stars whilst at the same time recognising the hard work of your longest serving staff.

So...it's time to polish up the little gold men and bring your team together for a night of celebrations!

2. Retreats

Escape to the country and build bonds that will last far beyond the confines of the work space!

In times of strain and hardship, some organisations experience a ‘them and us’ culture. A divide, brought on by busy workloads creates discord and stress. One of the biggest obstacles in the work from home era is that senior leaders aren’t always visible to those teams working directly with customers and conversely; staff can be left with demands from faceless email accounts. In fact, 14% of respondents linked this lack of real-life interaction to reduced camaraderie between coworkers (TravelPerk).

Breaking down both the physical and emotional barriers of the work from home era in a relaxed setting can even increase productivity and creativity with in-person communication proving to be 34 times more effective than virtual alternatives (Harvard Business Review).

Time to bring the team together in a new setting?

3. Networking Events 

Networking - like most things - might have gone virtual, but that doesn’t mean that in-person networking has ceased to matter.

70% of communication is nonverbal, hence knowing how to interact with people during in-person networking can be crucial for establishing a connection. Furthermore whilst you might have had team members shine over screen during the pandemic, there's no substitute for seeing how people perform in person.

In addition to the networking opportunities, the majority of networking events take place in a relaxed setting such as a bar, hotel or event space which offer the perfect blend between the home and work environments.

Only last week, we were lucky enough to visit the Nici Hotel in Bournemouth for one such networking event with SYNRGY. Not only did our team take the opportunity to meet new potential clients but it was their first opportunity to socialise - needless to say they had a great time and can't wait for the next one.

4. Treat the team!

One of the primary benefits for staff during the work from home era has been the reduction in work based expenses; with the lack of travel, food and clothing costs associated with office work leading the way.

Whilst this may seem an unfair advantage, learning from the changes can provide the perfect excuse to unite your team. Indeed, when JP Morgan reached out to us to provide something to bring their team together we hopped in our Churros Truck and headed to their HQ to treat the team to loaded ice cream sundaes and churros - try matching that with beans on toast at home!

5. Seasonal Events

Whether working from home or office based, it's never been more important to bring your team together. Employee expectations have changed, and people want to work for a company that offers great benefits. Many businesses are pushing the boat out to provide these unique benefits, and in turn, they get to encourage employee loyalty which is essential in a competitive job market.

We were delighted to offer such opportunities for LV and their Summer party as we bought their remote and regional teams together for a Summer party on the golden sands of Bournemouth Beach.

6. In person conferences

A conference with the right format and the right speakers can create a huge amount of positivity amongst the group. It will spark brainstorming and interest, leading to an increased sense of happiness in their jobs and ultimately encouraging people to do more. 

At conferences, you have space, time and the knowledge that is important to your staff that cannot be matched via a simple screen share. Ensure your employees leave feeling they are a valued member of the business by giving them all a chance to have their say and bring their ideas to the table and have them heard throughout your business hierarchy.

To conclude, if the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that the work life balance must re adjust. The good news? The change should be looked at as a positive, smart businesses have the opportunity to build team bonds from a fresh start and create a fluid and fun work enovironment!

Inspired by our ideas or looking for more help? Get in touch with us today on hello@seventa.co.uk