It goes without saying that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated employee turnover. These days, there are so many employees working remotely or under a hybrid model that entire teams can go for months without rubbing shoulders “in real life.” It’s widely accepted that good team-building events can positively impact team dynamics and bonding and thus help with staff retention. With holiday parties fast approaching, now is the perfect time to think about the best team-building and end-of-year party activities for your co-workers.
Real-life contact is important
In 2019, the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agréés published an HR Barometer (French only) indicating that numerous industries had over 24 % turnover. Does this apply to you? In this context, team building has an especially positive impact on strengthening bonds among co workers, relationships with the employer, team morale and commitment to the company. When it comes to team building, virtual experiences don’t hold a candle to real life. Now that health restrictions are easing, real-life experiences seem possible again. With 39 % of Canadians indicating that collaborating with their co-workers has been the most crucial concern at work since COVID-19 started, offering in-person activities is a good way to strengthen work ties.
Now is the right time
Even in the current health crisis, we can plan work outings in Montréal again. Most employees are looking forward to being back in person, at least half the time. In the meantime, companies have already started booking dates for the holidays. Last year, traditional office parties were scrapped. This year, many employers are welcoming the idea of outings starting up again. However, most of them prefer outsourcing the planning details. That way, a professional organization can handle things and ensure everything complies with health standards.
Safety first
There are numerous strategies to ensure team-building events are held safely. Consider the following:
- using an app for contactless registration of participants
- reserving an entire entertainment centre and staying in the same venue (to limit interactions with other social bubbles)
- à une flexibilité accrue en ce qui concerne les heures d’ouverture et de fermeture, mais également le report des activités sans pénalité financière;
- providing increased flexibility for office hours and for rescheduling activities without any financial penalty
- paying based on the actual number of participants in attendance
- etc.
UAn entertainment centre lik Action500 is a perfect match for companies planning in-person work activities. They host over 700 groups every year for team building, have three branches in Greater Montréal and offer a selection of activities that comply with social distancing (karting, paintball, laser tag, and escape rooms) for safe entertainment and building lasting social ties.