Keeping the team connected
Many workplaces are adjusting to a new normal with permanent or flexible WFH days, while some of us have teams and employees working from around the country. Here at Frame, we work together across our offices in Auckland, Christchurch and Wanaka. We’ve put together our top tips on keeping your team connected when you can’t always be together…
Regular Zoom catch-ups for the whole team. It’s important to keep the entire team across the workflow to promote collaboration, minimise inefficiencies and to celebrate wins. Frame also likes to incorporate a weekly informal Zoom session at the end of the week focused on personal wins, entertainment recommendations and a general check-in which goes a long way to building the teams social connection.
Regular planned, inter-regional catch-ups. Whilst Zoom is a great tool in keeping us connected day-to-day, there’s nothing quite like working and socialising together in real life. Planning quarterly or annual inter-regional catch-ups will cement and elevate the bond between team members.
Set up an informal group chat such as Facebook Messenger which builds rapport and encourages casual conversation between the team on a daily basis. For Frame this one is key!
Encourage the use of shared calendars so that it’s easy for team members to check availability for calls and meetings. This encourages conversation and helps to avoid working purely over email which can become isolating for those working from home.
Zoom social drinks or games to get the entire team together regularly in a social sense. Even if it’s virtually, it is not only important for team culture but builds further on that social connection that we believe is so important.