We are entering our third or fourth week in the US where the majority of individuals are working from home. Generalizing, week one was about getting technology operational and figuring out how to manage the adult/child relationships in this environment. Weeks two and three were about communication and motivation across organizations and within teams. Week four (and beyond) is leaders trying to figure out how not to get bored by repeating the same activities over and over again.
Leaders are starting to message mandatory extensions to stay at home orders, companies are adjusting policy accordingly, many are wondering what we can do to keep people engaged and productive. I’ve seen great examples of Virtual Happy Hours, weekly team calls/briefings, and all-hands meetings. These are really great vehicles to engage people and keep morale up, but there is a possibility that attendance will fade as the messages become the same, or people find reasons not to attend or engage.
I thought it would be a good opportunity to create a venue for sharing ideas about ways to engage people, both at work and personal life. Please leave comments sharing what works for you, and if it’s not self-explanatory, a bit about how you execute it. I’ll share below a few examples I’ve learned from clients or ideas I’ve had myself.
- Fitness activities led by employees. Video stream yoga, HIIT, ballet.
- Book club (can be business or personal taste-oriented)
- Virtual aquarium and museum tours. Select someone on the team to be the ‘tour guide’.
- Virtual crazy – Experience rollercoasters and rides from major theme parks around the globe (careful pairing some of these with Happy Hour!)
Keep in mind, the piece missing from people’s lives right now is social interaction, and in some instances, adult conversation. Share your ideas with others to help us all get through this time of distancing.
