This week, our team at Panaro Group had our quarterly team gathering. As a primarily remote working team, we all look forward to these events for an opportunity to get together in person. They strengthen our connections beyond the screen and allow a break from our daily routines.
We gathered around a table, flipping through magazines, cutting out pictures and quotes that resonated with us. Piece by piece, we arranged them on poster boards, creating vision boards; these popular collages of inspiration and aspirations for the year ahead are often made in January. During this time, we talked about more than work. We interacted on a more personal level, diving into our hobbies and interests and our hopes for the year. We ate lunch together, we shared laughs, we spoke about ways we can improve as a team.
Taking a break from the day-to-day grind to spend time together in this way was refreshing. Halfway through a long and busy week, it was a solid way to reset and return to our work with renewed energy. The impact of this event was felt by everyone:
"I feel like it helped me—I didn’t think about work too much. It helped break up the week and allowed us to collaborate together and spend time together."
"It reinforces how great our team is, how well we get along, and how important it is that we spend time together. We get so busy we forget to do that."
"I tried something new and actually liked it! I also learned what books and TV shows that everyone was interested in."
"It was good bonding time. It brings us closer together and gives us a break from the grind and stress."
"Even though it’s not about work, it helps us with work—both by giving us a break and because of the activity we chose. It benefits our personal growth and goals."
Dedicating time to team bonding is an investment that pays off. Engaged employees are happier and more productive, and more likely to collaborate well. When we take the time to step away from work and engage with each other as people, we strengthen both our working relationships and our team as a whole.
To start incorporating more team bonding events that will resonate with all employees, start by surveying and asking what activities they would be interested in. Our team has enjoyed volunteering and give-back events, crafts like these vision boards and painting pottery, and outdoor activities during warmer times to name a few. These events might be different for every team, but the impact will be the same: connection.
Want to make your own vision board? All you need is poster paper or a board, some magazines, a pair of scissors, and a stick of glue. If crafts are not your jam but you would still like to try, Canva offers free templates for you to upload your own photos and create a digital board.
The Panaro Group LLC is a top recruiting agency in Milwaukee offering:
RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing)
Executive Recruiters
Recruiting Consultants
Wisconsin Recruiting
Milwaukee Recruiters
Madison Recruiter
Appleton Recruiter
IT Recruiter
Software Engineer Recruiter
Technology Recruiter
Engineering Recruiter
Manufacturing Recruiter
Technology Recruiter
Construction Recruiter
Accounting Recruiter
Finance Recruiter
Nationwide Recruiter
USA Recruiter
Marketing Recruiter
Comments