Here are a few ideas to keep your employees engaged and feeling connected with their colleagues. Participation in the activities are voluntary.
HELLO VIDEOS OR SELFIES
Offer employees the opportunity to send in videos (15 secs max) of them saying hello and/or a positive encouraging message.
- Option #1: For those who want to send in selfies, ask them to hold up a sign with “Hello” or a positive message in their selfie.
- Option #2: For those who aren’t fans of videos or selfies, offer them the opportunity to share words of encouragement instead.
BRING YOUR PET TO WORK
- Submit videos or selfies to activity lead and compile into a presentation to send out to employees.
- Ask employees to submit pictures of their pets.
- Activity lead will gather all submissions and create a way to vote for the winners in the following categories: Cutest, Best Dressed, Most Photogenic, etc.
- Create a way to vote for pets in categories. And, create certificates for winners.
VIRTUAL COFFEE / LUNCH TALKS
Randomly pair team members together to have coffee and connect virtually.
- Utilize WebEx, Microsoft Teams or any video conferencing platform available.
BEST COFFEE MUGFACE
- Employees take a picture drinking from their favorite/funny coffee mug.
- Activity lead compiles all pictures and team votes on the best/funniest/most creative coffee mug{face}.
LITTLE KNOWN FACTS ABOUT ME
- Select a few employees (contingent upon number in department) to participate.
- Each person submits 1-2 facts about themselves.
- Compile all facts and create a presentation where employees can guess which person each fact belongs to.
GUESS WHO? (BABY PICTURE VERSION)
Randomly pair team members together to have coffee and connect virtually.
- Employees can share baby pictures of themselves.
- Activity lead will compile all pictures into a presentation and employees can guess who are in the pictures.
- Answers are revealed with a side-by-side of the baby picture and current picture of the employee.
MANAGER COFFEE/OFFICE HOURS
Managers can have a block of time set aside where employees can {virtually} visit and catch up.
VIRTUAL SCAVENGER HUNT
- Clues are provided about each team member to the activity lead (i.e. the employee with a baseball card collection, most siblings, traveled the most, etc.)
- Then, employees go on a {virtual} hunt for which team member this could be using a conferencing platform that is suitable for the team.
TOUR MY WORKSPACE
Offer employees the opportunity to share videos or photos of their workspace. They can share their favorite desk item, favorite item in their home, whatever they want their colleagues to see.
10 COMMONTHINGS
Randomly
- Divide team into small groups (or use entire group – depending on size).
- Select a topic (work-related or non-work related) and ask them to come up with a list of 10 things they have in common.
- It can be as simple as, we all wear shoes – to more specific – we were all hired in 2014.
- Share the team lists with the larger team via email or use the online whiteboard.
WHERE IN THE WORLD HAVE YOU BEEN?
- Employees can share where they have visited through pictures.
- Use a virtual whiteboard to share pictures of travels and the favorite things about the trip.
RIDDLE ME THIS
Email weekly brain teasers or riddles to team and see who can solve it first.
STORY TELLING
- Create a theme of the week for each story.
- Using that theme, the employees are instructed to:
- Use photo stories that contain action-oriented photographs with captions (include compelling, captivating images in photo stories).
- Place photo stories on the selected online resource. (i.e. white board or emailing them to the activity lead).
- Then, translate text associated with photo stories into an overall meaningful story
WEEKLY TROOP TALKS
- Suitable for a large group of employees (10 or more); create a theme of the week where employees connect using zoom or any video conferencing platform that is accessible.
- The activity leader selects a theme, like recipe party (sharing your favorite recipes) and bon-app-etite (discussing the phone app you can’t live without) or any other theme for each conversation.
- Then, a date for the talk is set – giving employees time to think about what they want to say. During the call itself, everyone takes turns talking and sharing.
EACH ONE – REACH ONE
- Each employee is randomly paired with another team member
- To simplify the execution, pairing can be done in a way that is logistically convenient.
- Each person sends a note of gratitude or a well-being message to the person they are paired with for the activity.
- Each employee will receive one message and in return will send one message. If you do decide to go with this idea, the Organization & Talent Development team is happy to brainstorm further and make it logistically simpler.
TEAM JAMBOARD/WHITEBOARD
- Create a jam board where employees can share photos and discussions.
- Create a theme to drive the discussions and keep it topic focused for guided discussion.
For questions and additional information, please email the Organizational and Talent Development team at iLearn@uth.tmc.edu or submit a request using the online Organizational & Talent Development Services Request form.
