Published by Programme B
The past couple of years have been about constant readjustments: having to turn our homes into offices, classrooms, and gyms overnight, constantly changing rules, and, let’s not forget, worrying about a global pandemic and the health of our loved ones.
Coming back to work on a regular basis is another major readjustment for each one of your employees individually and for the company as a whole. With the length of time, it’s been, it’s essentially everyone’s first day on the job again. The re-acclimation process requires even more time, patience, and understanding.
Organizing team-building events can help ease everyone back into work mode while building morale and getting your staff used to working with each other again. These ideas can help re-create team spirit while also showing your employees a little love.
Give the Office a Makeover
You do not have to completely remodel the office, but partnering with commercial painters in Toronto to add some color and energy to your office can boost team morale. Better yet, involve them in the process and make it a collaborative team-building effort.
Go All Out on an Employee Appreciation Dinner
For your employees who toughed it out and did whatever it took to ensure the work kept flowing, renting out a popular restaurant, rolling out the red carpet, and setting up an awards-style dinner or a night of dancing is a great way to celebrate your team and get them re-acquainted with one another.
Spa Day at Work
Everyone’s mental health has been through the wringer over the course of the pandemic, and the emotional roller-coaster will likely continue for some time to come. This means placing more focus on policies and strategies aimed at mental wellness moving forward.
An idea for a back-to-work icebreaker that also shows your team you prioritize their mental health is to host an office spa day. You can hire a yoga instructor or a meditation coach for a group class, bring in a registered massage therapist to give neck and back massages, and include aromatherapy sessions with take-home essential oils to remind your team to take some time out for themselves as they re-adjust to office life.
Give back to the Community
As a team-building exercise, volunteering checks a lot of boxes:
- Getting the team out of the office for a change of scenery.
- Reinforcing your company’s core values and beliefs.
- Get your company engaged and visible in the community.
Even the act of choosing a charity to volunteer with is a team-building exercise that helps your staff get to know one another on a deeper level.
Check out the Canada Helps website for a massive list of local and national charities if your company doesn’t have one it already partners with.
A Day at the Park
Sometimes all it takes is some fresh air, sunshine, and a barbeque to boost morale. Adding in classic picnic games like volleyball, an obstacle course relay, or a scavenger hunt elevates a fun day into one that also strengthens team relationships.
Photo by RODNAE Productions x pexels.com