With the world’s shift to remote work, team happy hours have become a vital way to maintain company culture and keep employees connected. But with physical distance, happy hours have gone virtual, and many team leaders and managers are unsure of how to make a virtual team happy hour successful.
Creating Community
Remote team happy hours are the perfect way to foster connection and community among remote teams. It’s important to set up a safe and inclusive environment for employees to share their thoughts and opinions. Some ways to create a sense of community include:
- Encourage employees to share stories and experiences
- Allow for open dialogue and discussion
- Encourage team bonding activities
- Create a fun, relaxed atmosphere
Choosing the Right Platform
The right platform can make or break a virtual team happy hour. The platform should be user-friendly and have features like video and audio, screen-sharing, and breakout rooms. The platform should also be secure and have user privacy and data protection protocols in place.
Establish Ground Rules
It’s important to set ground rules for the virtual happy hours. This ensures everyone has a good time and respects each other’s boundaries. Some ground rules to consider are:
- Be respectful to each other
- No distractions (no phones, laptops, etc)
- Be on time
- Be mindful of time limits
Planning Activities
It’s important to plan activities for the virtual team happy hour. This helps keep employees engaged and allows them to get to know each other better. Some ideas for activities are:
- Trivia games
- Virtual show-and-tell
- Virtual scavenger hunt
- Brainstorming sessions
Closing Thoughts
Hosting a successful virtual team happy hour is an important way to keep employees connected and engaged. With the right platform, activities, and ground rules, a virtual team happy hour can be just as fun and rewarding as an in-person happy hour.
