Currently, your team is probably facing the toughest challenge since it’s conception as the world undergoes a seismic change. Right now, building resilience within the team is key to surviving this storm. A storm that we believe, is best weathered together. At Avenue HQ, we’ve put our heads together and created our top ‘Do’s & Don’ts’ for ensuring morale is maintained and the team withstands this period.
Do’s
- Embrace the ‘new normal’
Let’s face it, you wouldn’t normally see the interior of a director’s kitchen at 11am on a Tuesday, but that’s the reality we now live in due to Covid-19 causing a surge in video calls. At Avenue HQ, we believe that this is something to embrace!
Team AHQ recently attended Agent Academy’s first-ever virtual graduation, for their most recent cohort of students. When speaking at the event, Holly Hall -Managing Director of the British Interactive Media Association- explained how the increase in video calls, virtual events and ultimately, seeing the interiors of your coworkers homes, will help us all to feel more connected.
We’re seeing a personal side to our colleagues that we wouldn’t in the day-to-day office environment. We’re being invited into homes, meeting children and pets, and seeing our colleagues in a more casual light (however this could be due to the increased number of tracksuit bottoms being worn).
The wait is over! It’s #Academy11’s Virtual Graduation time! 🎓⭐️ pic.twitter.com/4IhnL4IISt
— Agent Academy CIC (@Agent_Academy) April 22, 2020
Hilariously, when AHQ’s partners Eagle Labs were having a catch-up WebEx meeting with AHQ Leeds Residents, one of the members’ children stormed in, ready to play hairdressers. Would that have happened in a standard pre Covid-19 meeting? No. Did it make these coworkers feel more connected and as though they knew each other slightly better? Most probably.
What’s the funniest virtual moment you have had during this pandemic?🤔
Ours has to be with @hello_consilio this morning where Satty’s son decided to give her a new hairstyle mid virtual coffee chat! 😂💇♀️
Share yours below! ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/4ccX1x1iJz
— Eagle Lab Incubator Leeds (@Eagle_Lab_Leeds) April 6, 2020
If there’s one positive to draw from this situation from a business standpoint, it’s the increased interconnectivity between coworkers. Physically, we’re further apart than ever, but there’s a real opportunity to feel more connected than before.
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Organise ‘extra-curricular’ activities
Now more than ever, team morale needs a boost. Whether it be a Monday morning call, a virtual catch-up, or group drinks enjoyed on house party – team events play a huge role in a team’s ability to bond, so don’t let the events calendar dissipate.
We’ve witnessed fellow AHQ’ers take this in their stride, with the likes of OPEN Media organising weekly pub quizzes for their team and AHQ Mann Island members Project Four enjoying ‘Friday night drinks’ (virtually of course). Get yourselves set up with a Zoom account and then you can take it in turns to arrange a weekly activity. You’ll be feeling like a strong collective again in no time.
We ended the week with another OPEN Media quiz on Saturday! It’s such a brilliant way for the team to keep in touch and catch up 👏🏼🖤 pic.twitter.com/UgcCAXHgeb
— OPEN Media (@openmediauk) April 20, 2020
Don’ts
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Go silent
Within the article ‘4 Things Resilient Teams Do’ The Harvard Business Review underpins trust as a key factor that contributes to team resilience. This is often referred to as ‘psychological safety’ when discussing groups. By withdrawing from the team, becoming despondent and going silent, you risk undoing all of the hard earned trust that’s been built over the months/years. As HBR explains: ‘When team members share an accurate understanding of what needs to be done and how their roles — and the roles of others — fit into the big picture, they are well positioned to respond to adversity effectively’.
As the old saying goes: ‘silence is a scary sound’. Right now, keeping a stream of communication going is key.
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Continue as normal
It may be ‘business as usual’ and you may be trying to maintain a sense of normality for the team – both of which are completely understandable. However, it’s ok to address and confront the absolute abnormality of the current situation, especially with your team. Within the podcast ‘Unlocking Us’, Brené Brown pens this notion the ‘Collective Weary’ – which can be interpreted as teams experiencing the feeling of uncertainty, as one. The old saying ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ applies here. To help ease the load, try to create an environment where team members can share their thoughts and feelings about the ongoing pandemic (this could be intertwined into the extracurricular activities – see point one). On a more informal level – a group chat can work wonders.
‘We’re all in this together’ is being repeated continuously, but it’s never rung more true!
Ultimately, if you weather this storm as a collective; adapting, responding and remaining well-informed, you’re set to come out the other end stronger than ever.
Stay connected with Avenue HQ during Covid-19 by following us on Twitter.