Almost half of the U.S. workforce has transitioned to working from home. With major companies like Google and Twitter extending their office closures into 2021 – and even indefinitely – the question becomes not when we’ll go back, but how we can get more out of working remotely.
Remote team building takes time. But with the right approach, it’s possible to successfully sustain your company culture and even help it thrive. Over half of newly remote team members said they saw a negative impact on their sense of belonging. Yet more experienced remote workers reported higher satisfaction, plus a 20-percent “sense of belonging” increase.
One way to keep up remote workers’ engagement? Have fun with it, and think beyond the weekly Zoom check-in. Look for games or activities that get everyone involved and help teams get to know each other better — like this easy-to-execute video challenge.
Make remote work more interesting: How to nail the rolling video challenge
Our team had a blast with this progressive video challenge. If you want to play along, here’s how it’s done:
Get started
1. Pick a team member to start the challenge.
Draw names out of a hat or use this virtual name picker, just as long as there’s no rhyme or reason to who you’re choosing to kick things off. This challenge could give you daily entertainment for weeks or even months, depending on the size of your department.
Next
2. Assign a random catchphrase.
Before you send out a department-wide email announcing the team member to begin the challenge, make sure to select a fun quote or catchphrase. This phrase will be the theme for the first video. “Girls just want to have fun” and “Close but no cigar” were some of our team favorites.
Next
3. Give them 24 hours to come up with a video response.
Set the clock. Each team member has 24 hours to record a video response representing the phrase — open to any and all interpretations. Beware: Your team members might surprise you. Music videos, short films, dance tutorials, and attempts at breaking world records were some of our teams’ most popular contributions.
Next
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4. Post the video in a team email thread or chat group.
After a team member’s 24 hours are up, it’s their turn to post their video response into the challenge email thread. Alternately, you could create a special Teams or Skype chat group to avoid flooding team members’ inboxes. The rest of the team gets to view, laugh, and comment.
Next
5. Pick the next team member and assign a new catchphrase.
The team member who posts the video will also tag a new team member at random and give them a new quote or catchphrase to continue the challenge. This team member will have 24 hours to produce, create, or design a video response, before posting and tagging the next team member. Keep tagging until everyone’s had the chance to complete the challenge.
A few notes: There’s no rule that says this has to be a one-and-done kind of challenge. If your team gets a kick out of it, like ours did, you can do the challenge multiple times with more specific themes: like movie quotes or 80s song lyrics. And since this is all about participation, it’s a good idea to keep it fun and keep the pressure off by avoiding offering prizes.
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More focus on creating meaningful connections and less on the bottom line, please. Over the past 32 years, we’ve crafted a culture of caring that has stood the test of time. Our work-family just keeps growing: Click here to browse our latest job openings.
For educational purposes only. Please contact your qualified professional for specific guidance.
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