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2020 upended just about everything, especially how companies like ours do business. Teams that once worked side by side are now scattered across locations, states or countries. Working from home has its perks (blazer on top, pajamas on the bottom), but team shakeup and separation has also created disconnects.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is perhaps the greatest threat to team connectedness we have ever seen,” noted authors Michael Lee, INSEAD assistant professor of Organizational Behavior, and Koen Veltman, founder of OrganizationBuilders in The Great COVID-Driven Teamwork Divide. The article reported on the authors’ recent survey which found 45 percent of respondents reported a decline in teamwork while one-third reported improved team connectedness. The survey of more than 500 professionals worldwide revealed the vulnerability team relationships have during pandemic times and that the effort to build team connectedness must begin with leadership.
“In many ways, company culture has been lost,” said Ali Cammelletti, founder of Spark Your Mindset, a hospitality management consultancy, and creator of the Snack Leadership podcast. “For many businesses, this past year has been feast or famine. It has wreaked havoc on company culture.”
Studies for years have linked team-building to more cohesive and productive workplaces. But if your grimacing at the thought of trust exercises and outdated afterwork company socials, there’s a better way to begin.
Growing from Good to Great
To build back connection and team trust, Cammelletti recommends taking stock of your team’s individual talents through easy but proven online personality assessments like Clifton Strengths Finder. Doing so helps teams identify their own talents and those of their teammates. Teams then more deeply understand each other and learn which co-workers they can lean on for help.
“It’s something that can be completed online and discussed either remotely through team breakout rooms on Zoom or in person and socially distanced,” said Cammelletti.
Knowing one’s own strengths and what feeds excitement in the workplace is supported by the much acclaimed Hedgehog Concept by Jim Collins. Collins asserted companies that grow from good to great focused less on skillset and more on what individuals were deeply passionate about, what they can be best at, and how that intersects with their economic engine.
Reduce Stress with Laughter
This past year has been extremely stressful both at work and at home. Laughter is the best medicine as it reduces stress, according to the The Harvard Business Review. Fun while working boosts productivity and reduces absenteeism. Many of the biggest corporations know this is true, including Google and IBM.
For some organizations adding laughter or fun is as simple as supporting a friendly sports rivalry or hosting fun contests to win a small prize. For others, offsites create an excellent opportunity to engage differently with coworkers outside of the office.
In Central Oregon, there are a large number of activities that can be great team building events and still be COVID safe. At Zero Latency Bend, annihilating zombies in a mind blowing virtual world provides a great way to really get to know your coworkers and stay socially distant. For our clientele, nothing says team building like working together to save the world from nasty, brain-eating zombies. Teams strategize, protect each other, and have so much fun they forget the stress of their day or week. The games are played in a safely ventilated arena where players can jump, scream, and freely roam wherever needed to win. The game is programmed to keep players six feet apart and all equipment is sanitized with medical-grade LED lights.
Whether team building is done virtually or in-person, experts agree that team building absolutely should occur during the workday. Hosting a fun exercise online or offline is best practiced while employees are still at work.
About the Author
Terry Walkey, co-owner of Zero Latency Bend, the Northwest’s only free-roam Virtual Reality gaming arena. It’s a brand new addition to Bend and located in the Wagner Mall. Walkey is a former project engineer for Draper, Inc. and in the past, has worked as a lead special effects engineer for Walt Disney Studios, Warner Brothers Studios and Universal Studios.
