Working from home was essential to surviving the pandemic, and more and more of our clients are incorporating remote teams into their long-term operations. But this poses its own unique challenges. 

How can you build culture and cohesion within those teams? How can you help boost morale? How can we ensure remote teams feel equally valued? These are the questions our clients are asking, and we think live events are an important part of the answer. 

Team building might not seem like the first place to deploy finite company resources, but the data on its value is compelling.  Among employees 96% feel team building improves relationships  94% find it improves communication and boosts engagement. And engaged teams perform up to twice as effectively, while a conflict in a team of six earning $100,000 each can set you back as much as $255,000 a year.

Let’s break down the benefits into three categories; morale, performance and culture. Remote teams can be the first sign of growing problems in these areas. Whether you need a simple meet-and-greet for new hires or a comprehensive incentive program, live events can help manage issues as they develop.

Morale:

The last two years have meant new ways of doing business for all of us, and  proved remote working can be effective. Many of our clients now have large numbers of new hires who started during the pandemic and have never experienced the ‘normal’ operations of their company. 

It can be hard to feel like a valued part of a larger whole if you have only ever seen your coworkers or managers through a webcam. Especially if you are new to the organisation and don’t haven’t had a chance to become familiar with the company culture and values. 

Any good manager knows that creating a team is about more than adding participants to a group call. Bringing people together to celebrate shared successes improves relationships and helps to cultivate a culture of appreciation and accomplishment as well as keeping your employees engaged. Live events keep remote teams connected and engaged, help break down barriers and foster friendships in a way virtual activity can’t really match. 

Video conferencing may be the mainstay of your team,, but live events can help them move beyond video calls and feel a sense of shared memory and connection.

Performance

Team building events for remote workers are also an excellent way to improve performance. Teams that have a sense of trust, have built relationships face-to-face and feel valued will usually perform better across the board, but there are specific advantages to be aware of.

Managers who know their employees face-to-face can better assess underused talents and assets on the team. Seeing how someone responds to non-work related situations can tell you a lot, and help empower them in the workplace.

Team members who know and understand each other are more likely to share responsibilities and pitch in to complete common tasks because they feel involved in something bigger than themselves.  It is hard to build that kind of rapport in the virtual space. 

Sometimes the benefits to remote team members are even less complicated than that. Many employees find a great end of year incentive for the team highly motivating. And all working together towards a common goal is an excellent way to foster a spirit of camaraderie. Plus, they will be telling their friends and family all about their trip to Napa or Austin and feeling just that little bit special. 

Culture

Many of our clients are passionate about the culture of their organisation and the values they want to represent to the world. But how do you inculcate the sort of culture you want when your team works remotely? 

Without sharing a physical space and having the daily incidental exposure to representations of company values and practises, remote teams are likely to become siloed and disconnected. 

While virtual team building activities can be helpful, there is no substitute for remote teams meeting up and sharing in-person experiences. Not only does this encourage respect within the team, but it gives you an amazing opportunity to demonstrate your organisation’s culture to employees.

If you want to show remote employees you are committed to sustainability, hold an event that demonstrates your company culture. Choose locally sourced produce, engage with local communities and charities. Get them out from behind the video chat and into the great outdoors. The options are almost endless, and a thoughtful team building program will tailor them to your specific needs and goals. 

Talk to an expert about getting your team together to build trust, develop engagement and increase productivity!