Hybrid working (a flexible work model that supports a blend of in-office, remote, and on-the-go workers) has become increasingly popular since the COVID-19 pandemic, offering companies and staff members more flexibility.
While hybrid working has its benefits, such as spending less time travelling to work and saving on petrol, balancing and fostering team building has become a difficult task to maintain.
There is also evidence from Harvard and the University of Iowa that suggests that remote workers, especially junior ones, miss out on promotions and other career advancement opportunities, mostly because they do not get the same kind of opportunities for feedback as their in-office peers.
Kim Botti, Director of supply chain, logistics, and travel recruitment agency, Lee Botti & Associates, told Tourism Update that it had seen more and more companies trying to encourage their staff back into the office, although it has been difficult for many managers to motivate and lead their teams remotely.
“People need people, and in particular, in the travel industry where people are very sociable and outgoing. Although some individuals are very productive working from home, there is a lot to be said for information sharing and learning within the office. It is easier to build a company culture and team face-to-face, and companies have to be very structured and strategic when trying to manage this remotely,” Botti said.
The importance of team building
Genevie Langner, Marketing Manager of Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront, said not only did team building create trust in peers and leadership, it could also open the doors of communication.
“Research has shown that familiarity improves performance, even in high-stress fields such as medicine. Socialising has, meanwhile, been shown to improve communication between team members by as much as 50%,” said Langner.
She added that there were other benefits to structured team building too.
“It can, for instance, improve critical thinking, problem solving, and leadership skills. It can also increase productivity, and make employees feel valued. By enabling career progression, productivity, and employee satisfaction, team building can also reduce employee turnover.”
Candice Haley, HR Manager of Now Media, the parent company of Tourism Update, said getting to know the people you work with was crucial, because it helped staff feel more connected and get a better overview of how the organisation worked.
“Hosting events and team-building exercises helps people get to know each other. Games like betting on the Rugby World Cup results fosters some friendly banter, requiring individuals to get to know who is behind the name on the scoreboard. When we have a sense of the people we work with, it makes it is easier to support each other in our work tasks. Getting together socially often brings about work discussions that may not have happened and the casual face-to-face problem-solving just seems to work. Individuals who wouldn't usually interact get a chance to know each other and gain insights into the company,” said Haley.
Intentional, outcomes-driven activities
Langner believes that if organisations want to achieve the above benefits, they can’t simply organise pizza and drinks on specific days when everyone is in the office.
“While those kinds of initiatives are useful, the results are always going to be limited. It is far too easy, for instance, for employees to take their drink and pizza back to their laptops and simply keep working. Instead, your team-building activities should always be intentional and outcomes-based,” Langner said.
She noted that if the goal was to make employees feel valued and to encourage social bonding, then things like team dinners and end-of-year functions could be incredibly valuable.
“Ideally, you want this kind of function to feel special. It should, therefore, be a step up from what your employees would ordinarily do for themselves. This sense of specialness and going above and beyond is something that we’ve worked hard to cultivate at Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront, with our restaurant providing a wide array of exceptional dishes as well as panoramic views of Table Bay.”
For Now Media, the goal is to draw people to the office “at least every now and then”.
“Events like the Rugby World Cup, Heritage Day, and building a canned food pyramid for Nelson Mandela Day serve as occasions to bring teams together over a common cause. Discussing the Rugby World Cup sparks conversations between different departments through shared interests,” said Haley.
“Similarly, our Bring & Share for Heritage Day provided a setting to learn more about each other, give a pat on the back for a dish well-prepared (or cake baked) which will hopefully translate into a pat on the back for a job well done later on. If you can share some food, you can share ideas too. We had a Bokke Boerie day and hopefully, those who braai together can problem-solve together too. Superbru betting for sports events is also a fun way to bring people together when they aren’t in the office,” she said.
Langner concluded that for companies that were trying to improve problem solving and leadership skills, an escape room might work well. And to improve team spirit, volunteering activities such as packing relief packs for charities or serving people at soup kitchens also work well.
