Many companies and teams are now using the hybrid schedule to get work done. Essentially, this means working half the week in the office, and the other half at home. For those who prefer this type of environment, they often credit the flexibility of being remote, while also getting to socialize and talk face-to-face with their colleagues.
However, it can still be difficult to stay connected with your team, even if you’re at the office a couple days a week. Daily lunches and walks to get coffee together no longer exist. Maintaining relationships among your team is not as easy as it used to be. Fortunately, there are ways to resolve this issue and create strong bonds among teammates, which ultimately leads to more efficiency and less stress.
Team outings
Make it a point to schedule team get-togethers outside of work hours. Whether it be a sporting event, happy hour, or community service project, a team outing is a perfect way for everyone to relax and spend quality time with each other.
Lisa Figgucio, Principal at Green Key, has recently been on several team outings with the Accounting + Finance team. She says, “The pandemic taught us that, regardless of whether or not we’re physically together, we can build a strong team bond. However, there is no substitute for spending some “in person” quality time with the people you love to work with! Since we were unable to see each other during the pandemic, we appreciate our team outings a lot more!”
Coffee and break chats
Many teams find it beneficial to set aside time in the week to decompress over coffee and discuss non-work related topics. In fact, the Marketing team and Talent Acquisition team at Green Key meet up every Friday morning to discuss an episode of a recruiting podcast they’ve previously listened to.
Allison Vogt, Internal Recruiter, reiterates, “Our Friday morning coffee chats are one of my favorite parts of the week. The five us all live in different states, so we don’t have typical team bonding outings and this is a great way to connect and learn about each other. We focus on open and fruitful conversations where we share tips on recruiting, work/life balance, and productivity. There’s always a lot of laughter and it’s such a refreshing and positive way to start each Friday!”
Lunch and learns
These are a great way to get the team together, while also keeping productive and staying focused. Lunch and learns take training programs and hold them during everyone’s lunch break. The Pharma team at Green Key attends these virtually and credits them for maintaining the workflow and strengthening their team bond.
Parties and contests
Whether in-person or virtually, holding parties around holidays is a great way to increase company culture. Green Key has a yearly Halloween and Holiday party where we have costume contests, trivia, and awards. Everyone is able to get together for a fun time and maintain a company tradition.
