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Not all of us are born leaders because sometimes we think that position is build for somebody who is overflowing with charisma, aura and confidence. But when you are now working as an employee of a certain firm, there will be chances you can be selected as a leader because they see a potential that you can unite others as a team.
However, being able to handle different types of people that needs to collaborate and brainstorm their ideas in one place, seems as a complex thing to govern especially when they have so many ideas reaching to a point that they are not cooperating with each other. As a leader, any trigger that could make conflicts to arise should be avoided once and for all. So, you need to think a lot of plans on how to keep the team together. Being said that, everyone desires to have a lively atmosphere when doing their job that will make them perceive that they are welcomed in the team.
According to the article, “16 fun staff meeting ideas to boost employee enthusiasm”, from Hoppier, here are some of the exciting activities that you can do for your team meetings:
1. Show and Tell.
This is an activity that we commonly do during our high school years. But this fun game can also be applied to our works. Ask your team’s members one by one to pick an object that they always cherished, and share their memories to all of you. It can be a photo inside their wallets, ball pen, handkerchief, keychains and many more. Lend them your eyes and keep an open mind when they talk about their life stories and you might be surprise that they encounter so many obstacles or experiences but it is not an excuse to give up on their dreams.
2. Playing the guessing game “would you rather?”
Write down all the tricky yet interesting questions on a paper before your next meeting. Then, hand it over to your members and ask for their answers. Be careful on selecting your words and try it not too be personal so that everyone will be comfortable and relaxed to respond on the given questions. Set a 10 minute timer so that it will not consume a lot of time and everyone has a chance to speak their minds clearly. In this way, you will able to know their perspectives in life and capabilities in decision-making that will either make your team successful or not in your future presentations.
3. Scavenger hunt.
After having a discussion on your project, tell your group to have a short break first to give way for a simple game. Hide several objects within their workplace and whoever completed the game or come out as the victor in scavenger hunting, then that person will get a prize. It doesn’t really need to be grand, you can either give them a certificate, gift coupons or buying lunch for free. On the other hand, distribute some rewards to the rest of your group too. It can be a token of your appreciation for the efforts that they did within the day. Be thankful for their contribution on the team and with this, they will feel a sense of equality and admiration from you.
4. Guessing a picture.
You can either draw a funny face, object, or an animal and let your colleagues guess it. Give them clues in the rest of the game and do not let others coach them. In this way, no one will feel left out and allow someone to draw their preferences too. Get a whiteboard or even a paper to express your creativity inside the meeting. With this activity, you can grasp realizations and impressions about their talents and behavior if they are executing proper cooperation within the group or what kinds of work related services they can do in their job most especially in meetings.
(Do you still want to know all other fun activities that you can whenever you have meetings? Then check out “16 fun staff meeting ideas to boost employee enthusiasm” link and website : https://www.hoppier.com/blog/fun-staff-meeting-ideas)
On a sad note, when pandemic began to rise on all parts of the world, not only it attacks everyone’s health but it slowly kills the economy too. Countless reports that we see and read on televisions and newspapers says that it intensely impact jobs and businesses wherein several employees lose their current positions and lose their income. As mentioned by the article, “Impact of COVID-19 on employees in the Philippines, May 2020”, (https://investinginwomen.asia/knowledge/impact-covid-19-employees-philippines-may-2020/) majority of the employees/workers give reports that their jobs are suspended, and was forced to take unpaid leaves. While 60 percent says that the remaining affected ones began to work from home.
Taking sidelines is one of the strategies that some employees did when the COVID-19 has taken a large surge in the Philippines. But during the heavy lockdown stage, many companies implemented the work from home or virtual set-up for their employees because doing face to face or onsite jobs are strictly monitored by the authorities. To avoid the possible dangers of this said virus, the employees fully agreed on the virtual set-up wherein they can continue to do their jobs inside the comfort of their homes. The only requirements that they need are : a stable internet connection, desktop computers/laptop, and headphones to talk with their clients and superiors despite of no physical interactions.
However, this work from home set-up has displayed numerous advantages too like saving a couple of money for their families instead of taking transportations to work and preventing heat exposures from staying under the sun for too long. They can also spend quality time for them especially their children who needs to be taken care of. But, this said set-up took a lot of adjustments for the employees because they need to accept their current situation, wondering if they can ever go back in their office once again if the government will still allow their companies to do onsite jobs again.
It has become a struggle for them but luckily, with help of newly founded social media applications that gives the employees a breathing space, making them feel that they can view this work from home environment as a place for new beginnings in the chapter of their lives. As listed by the article, “13 Fun Zoom Meeting Ideas for Work in 2022,” here are some of the concepts that you can do with your team virtually:
First, initiate a background contest
Tell your team that you are required to open all your cameras so all of you are able to play this game. Install a zoom application and check its features especially the Background option. To fully conduct this activity, give them the freedom to choose their own theme either a beach background, movies, cartoons and even a meme that they can display on their computer screens. When the time comes that they finally reveal their chosen backgrounds, ask them the reason why they chose it in a single sentence. State the conditions of this mini-game that the winner’s background will be the team’s entire background or you next zoom meetings.
Second, online office games.
Make a presentation and include all easy games that you can think for your team. Set up a day in which all of you are free from tons of workload everyday. Much better if you will host it after your group’s business proposal with the founders of your company via online meeting. This is your approach of rejoicing your team’s endeavors during your stages of sleepless nights in which all of you are having breakdowns and sometimes quarrels to make your proposal even better so that it will not be rejected by the end of the day.
Lastly, host a snack time event
This is one of the common pastime that you usually do with your team during your onsite working days, but now, doing this online together with is a nice bonding for all of you. Set up a break-out room exclusively for your team only and commands them to grab a snack and have a meaningful conversation with them.
(Worried that your team is feeling stressed in their current set-up? Worry no more by reading this “13 Fun Zoom Meeting Ideas for Work in 2022,” in this link : https://teambuilding.com/blog/zoom-meeting-ideas)
In conclusion, this is also a way to establish good memories with your team. These people are the ones that you will rely in life especially when you face hard ships to your work. It’s a good thing that you added friends along the way in which they can accompany you not just in work, but other bonding moments too. These people are the ones that you will be with as your career starts to progress through the years. And even if one day you decided to change a new company, you can ask for suggestions to them because they will support your journey just like you did for them. Seeing their worth and value can make them feel that they are important for you, thus those kind gestures that you did for them will be reciprocated too.
REFERENCES/LINKS:
https://www.hoppier.com/blog/fun-staff-meeting-ideas
https://investinginwomen.asia/knowledge/impact-covid-19-employees-philippines-may-2020/
https://teambuilding.com/blog/zoom-meeting-ideas
All images are from : https://www.pexels.com/
