How does your work team build through telecommunication? The work norm for many companies, including Foster Love – Together We Rise, just took a hard shift. Our in house team of 30 people is now working from home indefinitely. We now are internally dependent on technology to communicate. So how does this social distancing impact your team? There is an even greater need for connection!
While we all navigate this new state we created a list of 4 ways to team build through telecommunication.
1. Trivia Night
Now that your staff is working from home you have to be even more creative with team building. The Foster Love – Together We Rise staff has started weekly trivia nights. To give it a “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me” feel, everyone is divided into teams and there are points based on correct answers. But do the points really matter…we don’t know yet.
We use Zoom for the “meet up” and try to stick to different categories each week. Last week we played using clips of different songs and the teams had to identify the artist and song title. Super fun!
2. Online Scavenger Hunting
Since everyone is online anyway. Use group chats like Slack to host an online scavenger hunt. Similar to scavenger hunts in real life, you want people to look for and find different items. One way to play this is to test your co-worker’s knowledge of your company website. Create a list of items they need to find and they can respond by taking screenshots of each of those items.
A nonwork oriented way to play this is by using Google Earth and asking questions based on landmarks. Or now that there are so many museums making virtual tours, you can use that as your scavenger hunt “location.”
3. People Polls
One of our favorite way to get to know our team best is through people poll guessing games. This is a game we have liked since before having to team build through telecommunication. Our team is asked several fun personal questions but not too personal. Then everyone guesses who the statement is about or we like the game Two Lies and One Truth.
Polling games are great way for people to share about themselves and get to know one another.
4. Zoom Happy Hour
Now that the traditional “happy hour” is closed indefinitely. Gotta practice social distancing. You can host a virtual happy hour for your team. Encourage them to make a snack and bring a drink and use Zoom meetings to see everyone.
Our happy hour is used as a way to touch base, keep people feeling connected while secretly team building through telecommunication.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, we hope you and your team are staying safe during the COVID-19 outbreak. Please enjoy our tips for team building through telecommunication.
For more ways to help kids in foster care during this crisis, click here.
