Virtual Escape Room: Creating a Challenging Environment for Your Team
A workplace that does the same repetitive tasks every day can become dull. Employees won’t look forward to coming to work, and there’s no sense of satisfaction if there are no goals to achieve. That’s why it’s essential to give your staff interesting challenges that push them out of their comfort zones, providing opportunities for growth.
In this article, we’ll look at what it takes to make a challenging environment, why it’s essential for employee satisfaction, and how it can boost productivity. We’ll also show you how online team building virtual escape rooms can help.
What is a challenging environment?
When we talk about a challenging environment, we don’t mean making it so hard for your team to perform work that they want to run for the hills. Instead, we’re referring to providing goals and activities that push them towards working with the tools, knowledge and skills they have at hand. It teaches them more about their capabilities, inspiring them to aim for more.
Why is it important to create a challenging workspace for your employees?
Employees feel a sense of satisfaction when they complete a challenging task. They solved problems to overcome obstacles, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. In a way, online team building games like Virtual Amazing Race do the same thing, setting them off to uncover clues and completing seemingly difficult assignments.
Challenging workspaces also make employees feel more committed and engaged with assignments, especially where they’re working remotely from home. When they are involved, there’s a sense that they are valued by the employer. It increases happiness and productivity, which increases the bottom line as an end result.
How can you create a challenging workspace for your employees?
With a better idea of what a challenging workspace involves, here’s how you can create one for your employees.
1. Create more opportunities for cross-departmental collaboration
When employees work with the same colleagues every day, they develop a comfort zone that’s hard to break out of. The same ideas circulate for all projects, and there’s no fresh perspective. It’s time for you to mix up your teams, showing them new faces and voices in your company from other departments.
It may seem challenging for them at first to share their thoughts with new people, but they get to show off their skills. Also, they may find it difficult to communicate effectively with unknown colleagues. One way you can encourage cross-departmental collaboration is with a virtual escape room, where they’ll need to work together to solve puzzles and find the way out.
2. Understand their strengths and weaknesses
The only way you can create an effective challenging work environment is by understanding the employees’ strengths and weaknesses. You need to know what they struggle and excel with so that you can assign the appropriate tasks.
When they overcome obstacles with their skills, it leaves them with a sense of achievement. With this knowledge in hand, you can construct an online team building game like Zombie Escape Room with customised settings where you assign specific tasks to individuals based on their strengths and weaknesses.
3. Organise non-work-related games
Sometimes, it helps to take the employees’ minds off work for a while. If they’re struggling with a project, it may assist to give them a different perspective to find the answer. Non-work related games are also entertaining, bringing some joy to office and remote workers.
They also help to make them feel closer. One example you can try is the Pirate Virtual Escape Room which is bound to bring a smile to everyone’s faces when they work together to win the game.
Challenge your team with Making Teams
Having happy and productive employees in your company means they’ll enjoy completing projects. To boost their morale and make them aim higher, you can create a more challenging work environment, even if they work from home. Online team building is the ultimate way to bring them together and test their skills.
Please contact us for more information or book a demo for any of our virtual escape rooms. We’ll be able to customise them to suit your needs.
4 Tips to Boost Employee Happiness Through Online Activities
Pursuing happiness is one of the most fundamental goals people have, whether for themselves or their loved ones. The workplace is no different. While there’s a fair degree of professionalism and company objectives to attain, it will help if your employees feel excited about tasks while working as a team. Not only will they become more engaged with projects, but they’ll end up being more productive, leading to an improved bottom line.
Studies have shown that happiness in employees leads to at least 12% better job satisfaction and productivity. In this guide, we’ll show you how you can use corporate team building virtual games in Singapore to enhance these levels in the workplace.
How can you increase your employees’ happiness levels with virtual games?
Our team building company in Singapore has worked with several businesses to customise virtual games to link them to corporate themes and objectives. For example, we work with you to create a Virtual Escape Room for your employees with themes and game features that connect to your brand and service.
Here are a few examples of how corporate team building can aid in increasing happiness among employees in Singapore.
1. Build a strong, close team
A strong team is an effective team. The employees have clear goals and communicate effectively throughout the process. While they share their skills and knowledge, they begin to have mutual respect, drawing them closer. It diffuses any tension while also promoting an optimistic attitude.
Virtual games from a trusted team building company in Singapore can help build a stronger connection. For instance, they’ll have to work together on the clues and communicate if they want to win in the Virtual Amazing Race. You’ll notice how exuberant they become from this teamwork, taking this positive energy back into the workplace.
2. Promote a positive work culture
While it’s essential that you attract the right people to your company, you also want to retain your employees as much as possible. When business leaders promote a positive work culture, it makes the team happier to be working for them.
There are many ways you can achieve this, such as better communication from management, giving the team the tools they need to succeed, and encouraging optimism and collaboration with corporate team building in Singapore. They’ll feel like they can tackle anything, while you can also incorporate elements in virtual games to show how the company cares about them.
3. Encourage communication
When team members communicate correctly, they share ideas and find effective ways to attain company goals. If there are any problems or bottlenecks, problem-solving techniques can help them find a solution. It leads to improved happiness when working together. However, you need to find a way to encourage communication in the workplace.
Virtual games assist with both communication and problem-solving elements. One prime example is letting them be detectives in the Sherlock Holmes Escape Room. Once your employees see the value of working together, they can apply it in the workplace. Also, it leaves them with a sense of satisfaction when completing tasks.
4. Create camaraderie
Camaraderie refers to developing trust and friendship among employees. When you manage to achieve it among your team, it improves happiness, productivity, and collaboration. It means they are happier working together instead of bottling angst and hatred toward each other.
When employees cultivate healthy relationships in the workplace, it can improve happiness and satisfaction by 50%. Corporate team building in Singapore can assist with this aspect. They’ll have fun working together, solving clues and beating the clock while showing off their skills. So take them to the high seas with the Pirate Escape Room and watch them have a fantastic time together.
Keep your employees humming with Making Teams
When you take the first step with a team building company in Singapore towards workplace happiness, you’ll feel the difference not only in the employees but within yourself. Nothing is more encouraging than a company’s leaders taking the staff’s satisfaction seriously.
Why not join them as they embark on any of our virtual games? Feel free to contact us for a demo if you want to see how it works and how you can incorporate your company themes and goals.
Gameplay Walkthrough: Solve the Murder Mystery at Buckley Manor in Oxfordshire
It’s the year 1923. You’re about to settle down for your noon tea when you receive a telegram from Lord William Bainbridge, inviting you to the next League of Bast meeting. It seems the Lord’s been at it again, heading off on adventures and retrieving interesting artefacts from his finds.
Your eyes go wide as one section catches your attention. Has Lord William really found evidence that the Egyptians could resurrect dead mummies back to the living? Your mood changes from mild curiosity to a dire interest on whether he’s pulling your leg or if these artefacts hold some unknown ancient magical power.
Head with us on an adventure in this exciting murder mystery game online! You can try out the demo as you follow the walkthrough below.
At the Buckley Manor in Oxfordshire
By the time you arrive at Buckley Manor in Oxfordshire, the night has taken a dark turn. There’s a storm overhead, with lightning casting shadows across the ground. It’s surely going to rain soon. The vehicle that transported you from the hotel in Oxford ominously leaves you standing before three people staring at you.
Victoria Buckey introduces herself as PJ and the owner of the manor and the host of the dinner. You note her formal British attire and athletic appearance, her long brown hair trailing down to her shoulders.
To her left is Dr. Charles Winchester, an American in a long coat, smoking a pipe. You notice quickly that he has a bandage on his left hand. Finally, you meet Michael Coleridge, an English man with a frock coat. His hands are slightly shaking, but you see he has a penchant for jewellery with a few rings on his fingers.
A car rolls up behind you. A lady climbs out and Michael greets her as Yana. They have a small chat before she vanishes to blooming lilies in the garden. While you wait in the cold, Phillipe and Sanura arrive shortly after. After talking to the host, they head off to find Yana for dinner. The final guests, Phineas, Sarah and Rudolph arrive shortly thereafter.
Victoria invites you inside out of the rain. As you talk to each character in this murder mystery team building game, you mentally take notes of what they’re saying and their behaviour. However, your attention is quickly drawn to the stunning rooms in the manor. From the stunning dining room that smells of wholesome meals, to the massive hallway with delightful decorations, to the elaborate study with a fireplace…
This manor really does seem to have it all. But where is Lord Bainbridge?
Murder at the manor
After exploring the manor, your heart stops as you hear a blood curdling scream. You’re not the only one alarmed as you all race outside to investigate the source of the noise. What you find stops you in your tracks, your mouth wide open as you stare in shock. Before you is a man lying in a pool of blood.
What on earth could have happened to him?
Investigating the clues
You now have access to all the manor’s rooms. While everyone is questioning what happened, you decide to investigate this strange death. Within the house, you can access the Laboratory, Study, Hall, Dining Room and Library. You’ll need to pay close attention to each room, as there are items and notes lying around that will help you build your case. When you enter the Dining Room, you notice a set of footprints on the carpet that may lead you to the next clue.
Studying alibis and building a case
Once you have the clues you need, take some time investigating each character’s alibis. Are they sound and can they prove where they were at the time of the murder? Did anyone’s behaviour seem suspicious, or do they have a past that may link them to the crime?
You’ll have to take notes and discuss your findings with your teammates, as you’ll need to present your findings and accuse someone of being the killer at the end.
Solve the mystery with Making Teams
With the Making Teams online murder mystery game, you’ll be able to enjoy solving it remotely from your homes or office. There are three rounds of gameplay, each with a set time and expectations. Your whole team will receive all the materials needed to complete the game, and there are breakout rooms where they can discuss their findings.
Please feel free to view the video walkthrough of the virtual murder mystery game to get an idea of what to expect!
How Do You Create a Great Company Culture Through Virtual Team Building?
When someone new joins your team, they will have some indication as to whether they will enjoy their work through the company culture. Workplace satisfaction leads to improved productivity and greater results. Most of all, it’s an incredible feeling having staff brag about how fantastic it is working for your business.
Did you know you can enhance the culture of your company through online team building? Let’s show you how.
What is great company culture?
Great company culture isn’t only reflected in the activity of the business, but also the mood and behaviour of the employees. Besides being friendly and motivating colleagues, they also have high morale. You can trust them since they show responsibility for their actions, plus they show initiative with their creative ideas.
These attributes have some excellent benefits for your company. You will have employees who are here to stay for the long-term that are loyal to you and each other, and you will attract new talent that have similar personalities. You will also notice how they become more involved in workplace activities, and you don’t need to force them to participate.
Building company culture
Would you like all the incredible advantages mentioned above? Improving the culture of your company is easy with just a few simple steps.
1. Start with the foundation
Do you remember when you started your company and had to develop a business plan with a vision, mission and objectives? These building blocks are essential throughout the life of your company and building a great company culture. When everyone aligns to the same goals, it creates motivation and a streamlined approach to gaining results. Your employees will also find cause for celebration when they complete tasks together.
Team building and team work needs to sit at the core of this in order to make headway as an organisation and come to a common consensus about what they value and how they should put to practise their mission and vision.
2. Create job satisfaction
Many people have the misconception that workplace dissatisfaction and satisfaction are dependent on each other. To reduce the former, you need to increase the latter. However, these are actually two separate activities that you will need to focus on to enhance the company culture.
When you eliminate dissatisfaction, it significantly improves the mood and attitude of the staff. Some examples include raising salaries, changing how the workplace looks, working on relationships between employees, and amending work policies with your team in mind. However, you can also create satisfaction, such as looking for new ways to achieve goals, engaging employees through virtual activities and socialising, and making the work more enjoyable to perform.
3. Virtual socialising
Creating a friendly atmosphere in the workplace where employees feel like they are part of a community would go a long way in making employees feel engaged, fulfilled and happy. This is one of the key building blocks of great company culture. Create opportunities for employees to interact with each other, get to know each other and enjoy socialising and having fun together.
Custom virtual games are also a great way to integrate a company’s mission, vision, business and projects into games for employees to understand their organisation better. If you are an international enterprise with regional offices, organising virtual games would allow teams in different countries to connect and learn about other teammates and their cultures.
4. Caring for your employees
When you show your employees that you care about them, they end up caring more about their work. You can create a collaborative environment so that everyone feels included and puts in every ounce of effort they can muster. Developing a balanced work environment also assists in making your staff value you and each other, leading to a healthier company culture.
However, it can be challenging to achieve this when your team works remotely. You will need to find innovative ways to improve their mood while working from home. One such way is via online virtual team building. Not only can they work together to solve puzzles in murder mysteries, but you can encourage some healthy competition with games like the Amazing Race.
Build culture with Making Teams
As you can see, creating the right culture for your company is essential if you want your business to succeed in the long run. Not only does it decrease stress for you, but your employees will strive to meet the business goals you set out to achieve.
Making Teams has created several custom games, including Amazing Race for corporations such as KFC, Pizza Hut, Hitachi and Microsoft. Let us help you bring your staff closer together with our customised virtual team building games that cater to your defined company culture and vision.
Online Team Building: Travel the World Through a Virtual Amazing Race
Journeying across several locations worldwide can be an incredible experience, especially if you visit exotic countries in the east. There are so many cultures, people and food you’ll come across, and it adds to the spice of life. Let’s show you how online team building with the Virtual Amazing Race can be just as exciting for you and your colleagues!
Wanderlust during COVID-19
Since the pandemic hit the world two years ago, many countries have put travel restrictions in place. The inability to explore other locations has left many people feeling anxious, lonely, frustrated and depressed. COVID-19 hasn’t stopped people from wanting to travel, though. The adventure creates beautiful memories that will last a lifetime. It takes you out of your daily routines, shedding the frustration and fears you face at home and working remotely or in the office. It also enriches you with new experiences that you can’t find in your country.
Enter the Virtual Amazing Race. You don’t need to fear missing out, as you can still experience travelling to various locations worldwide without leaving your home or office. The scenes are so realistic that you’ll feel like you’re right there! Let’s take a look at how the virtual team building game works and which countries you’ll visit.
Navigating Singapore
You’ll start in the stunning Asian city of Singapore, situated on a beautiful island on the southern end of the Malay Peninsula. While you’ll explore Changi Airport, there’s so much more to see in this gorgeous location. There are friendly people all around, featuring members of the Chinese, Indian, Eurasian, and Malaysian communities.
When you visit Singapore, there are some amazing landmarks you don’t want to miss. Merlion Park is by far the most popular and is described by many as the pride of the city. You’ll also want to see Supertree Grove in Gardens by the Bay, which integrates technology with nature in a superb way.
You should also get a taste for the food and the culture, some of which will be described in the Amazing Race corporate team building game. Some dishes you’ll hear about include chilli crab, Hainanese chicken rice, char kuay teow, and barbecued stingray. While you won’t be able to eat the food via the game, we encourage you to try the recipes where possible for a more exhilarating experience.
Experiencing Thailand
The next step in the race takes you to Bangkok in Thailand. It features a live activity where you and your team will attempt to learn about a local meal and the ingredients. The challenge is that you’ll need to decipher how to do it in the Thai language with a native cook guiding you along the way.
Of course, there are so many exotic landmarks you can visit in Thailand. The top spot you’ll want to see is the Grand Palace, but you can also make your way to Wat Phra Kaew in the same complex. When you’re done sightseeing in the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, why not check out the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market where you can see boats taking people to the local trade stores.
Immersing in Hong Kong
Finally, you’ll find yourself in the wondrous land of Hong Kong in China. You and your team need to navigate the busy streets where you may notice a mix of cultures from the east and west. The roads may be crowded, but the pleasant smiles and towering buildings will leave you amazed.
There are so many landmarks in Hong Kong you won’t want to miss out on. Some of these include the Peak Tram, Avenue of the Stars, Big Buddha, Bank of China Tower, and so much more. You’d also be surprised to hear that Cantonese is the main language spoken in Hong Kong and not Mandarin. If you’re looking for exciting meals, you can try dim sum, roasted goose, and soft tofu pudding.
Go on an adventure with Making Teams
As you can see, the Virtual Amazing Race provides you with a pleasurable experience in the heart of Asia. You don’t need to leave your home to obtain the feeling of travelling to these incredible locations, and you’ll even have the chance to make a foreign meal. So, what are you waiting for? Contact us today to see how we can customise the game for your team. Or watch a video to understand how our Amazing Race works and what you can expect when you play!
Gameplay Walkthrough: Zombie Virtual Escape Room Game
It is the year 2023. March 23rd. Dawn is breaking. You’re in the heart of London and you’re walking home from a night out with friends when something lights up the sky. It’s magnificent – you have never seen anything like it. A large, fiery ball with a blue ring around it streaks through the sky. It looks unusually large. People walking stop in the middle and stare up, traffic comes to a standstill as people get out of their cars to catch this unnatural space event.
As you walk home you find that the streets are unusually empty…
Waking up alone in the ICU
You wake up in a hospital and find that you’re locked up here. You’re lying in a bed alone and the last thing you remember is being in a car accident. What day is it and where are you? Nothing makes any sense.
You look around you and realise that the room is in disarray. A wheelchair is lying toppled on the floor, there is blood on the floor and the cabinets. Yet no one is coming in to clean up and you see no hospital staff around.
Getting up slowly, you try the door right across the bed and it won’t open. You open a drawer and find a set of clues about the keys. But where are the keys? There’s a calendar with crossed out dates…might this be a clue? With this, you manage to open the cabinet and find a set of six keys. Which of these keys is the right one? Might one of these be the key to the ICU? You try one of them. And it works! You slowly venture out and peek into the corridor…
The aftermath of a zombie attack
You see people slumped along the corridor covered in blood. Are they dead…? Your heart starts to pound. You hear sounds of groaning…the most unnatural sound that sends a chill down your spine. On your right, you see the doors to the ambulance station right at the end of the corridor and there are four other doors. On the floor, the newspaper’s headlines jump at you, “Unexpected comet puts on light show. Mysterious illness causes spate of hospitalisations.” It’s all slowly coming together…
To your left you see the stairs that head to level one and also four other doors. You head back into the ICU, to figure out which key of the five remaining keys opens up the door to the ambulance bay.
Uncovering clues in the ambulance vehicle bay
After unlocking the door to the ambulance vehicle bay, you find two things that could prove to be useful to you: the ambulance log book, instructions to assemble the heli light stick. You head back into the corridor and walk through the corridor, careful not to make a sound. As you walk through and take a glimpse into one of the wards…you see a scene straight out of the “Train to Busan” – zombies feasting on one of the patients. Your heart stops. It takes every ounce of your being not to scream.
Fight the zombies
You manage to head into the lab to pick up the hammer and find the location of the hospital. You unlock the door to the stairs heading to Level 1. Tentatively, you make your way down the stairs. Out of nowhere, a zombie comes rushing up the stairs. With the hammer in hand you strike the frightening creature and it falls to the ground. You find another clue on the floor and open up the generator room. In the generator room, you fix the generator and manage to get power!
Escape the zombies and make it out alive with Making Teams
You head back into the corridor and open up the office. You find a phone and send out an SOS. Will anyone come to find me? Will you be able to survive? Continue the adventure, uncover the clues and fight off the zombies with Making Teams’ virtual Zombie Escape Room game.
Intrigued? Wish to find out more? View a demo of our Zombie Escape Room game to get a taste of what to expect. Making Teams is the leading corporate team building company in Singapore. Browse our range of virtual team building games: Murder Mystery, Amazing Race, and many more. Here’s a list of the most commonly asked questions and answers about our virtual team building activities. Or contact us if you would like to find out more.
Build Trust: Go on a Virtual Treasure Hunt
Trust is integral to your company’s success. It has a positive impact on company performance and employee turnover and should therefore not be overlooked. Through fun team building games, such as a virtual treasure hunt, start creating a great team culture where employees look out for each other, trust one another and enjoy working together. Find out how this virtual game works and how it can help you create a team geared towards success.
What is a treasure hunt?
A treasure hunt, or a scavenger hunt, is an exciting game of thrill and adventure where participants solve clues, puzzles and riddles in succession in order to be finally led to the treasure. In uncovering the treasure, they win the game. Usually played in small teams, where participants put their heads together to uncover answers through the hints given. Questions could involve general knowledge or word riddles that test your problem solving skills.
Treasure hunts, as we know them to be today, were started in the 1930s by columnist Elsa Maxwell for New York’s elite and involved a series of daring, provocative tasks, in order to have a little bit of light fun. An example of popular treasure hunt games is the easter egg hunt.
How does it work virtually?
Virtual treasure hunt games are conducted online through online meeting software, such as Zoom or MS Teams. Teams race around the world virtually, trying to complete challenges in order to move on to the next station in another city or town – and be the first to reach the treasure. Teams will be pre-assigned and segregated into various breakout rooms online for the discussion and planning to commence. Making Teams’ professional and experienced facilitators enhance the game experience by guiding players through the process and heightening the excitement and suspense.
What are the types of themes?
We offer a variety of different themes for online treasure hunt, so you can select one that fits your team’s interests. If your team comprises history buffs, retracing Marco Polo’s steps as a merchant and explorer in Venice during the 13th century, might be fitting. However, if you’re after a more modern day theme, join British secret agent, James Bond, and MI6 in espionage adventures to uncover national secrets. Science fiction lovers would love alien-invasion themed scavenger races. We also offer treasure hunts with Indiana Jones and Da Vinci Code themes.
How does it help to build trust?
Virtual treasure hunt games require participants to work together, collaborating on tasks in order to solve problems and complete the challenge. By communicating with each other, respecting the views of teammates and being helpful, participants develop trust with one another – strengthening their relationship.
In the corporate world, trust is a cornerstone of strong relationships between employees and is integral to the success of any organisation. It facilitates collaboration, creativity, innovation and conflict resolution. Organising virtual games, such as these, also allow employees to let down their serious side and have a little bit of fun. Seeing this side of your co-workers allows you to understand them better and fosters fondness and trust. Through this, you can also Integrate new team members into the team and maintain the bond of existing members.
Choose Making Teams to create a bonded, trusting team
Trust is built over time. By increasing interaction between your employees, you set this process in motion and create the optimal environment for trust to be developed. Making Teams makes the process of scheduling an hour or so of fun with your team easy.
If you would like to try out other online games, we also recommend virtual Murder Mystery, Amazing Race, and Escape Room. We would love to have a conversation with you about how we facilitate our games and which ones would best suit your organization. Contact us if you would like to find out more.
Virtual Team Building: 4 Strategies to Inspire Creativity in Your Team
In order to propel your business forward, having employees who have the ability to think creatively is vital. The absence of creativity at a company can mean not being able to evolve to keep up with consumer trends or distinguish themselves from competitors. With a team of original thinkers, companies can continually offer quality products and services.
What does it mean to think creatively? It’s the ability to connect disparate ideas and thoughts to offer novel solutions to problems, come up with inventive new features for existing products and be able to find ways to motivate employees to deliver. Being original sets your company apart from your competitors and helps you offer unique value to your consumers.
How do you inspire creativity?
Creativity can be inspired by a number of ways. It’s a matter of providing your employees with the optimal conditions that spark creativity and leave them feeling energised and full of ideas. How do you go about this?
Build a diverse team and encourage open discussion
By hiring a team with people from different backgrounds – genders, ages, work experience, cultures and races – you create the right space for your employees to be exposed to new ideas and thoughts. Because everyone has had different life experiences, richer discussions and a more robust exchange of ideas can take place. This fuels creative brainstorming sessions and promotes a stimulating work environment.
By organising regular discussion sessions where team members are asked to share their thoughts and ideas when working on projects, they can bounce ideas off each other, build upon shared ideas and arrive at enlightened solutions. This also serves to improve communication within the team and build stronger relationships.
Promote autonomy
Autonomy, or independence, is the freedom given to employees to make decisions and exert control over projects, timelines or their own work schedules. By not needing to check back in constantly with a superior, and instead, trusted to come up with the best solution for the problem at hand, workers are not limited by invisible out of bounds markers and can explore different ways of doing things. It is important, however, that employers still provide guidance to newer employees and create a system of accountability so that autonomy is not abused.
Inspire your team with courses and team building activities
The word ‘inspiration’ is often thrown about, making it lose some of its power and meaning. Though overused and elusive, inspiration is powerful and can keep us motivated. Psychologists Todd M. Thrash and Andrew J. Elliot have studied this state of mind and note that, “the heights of human motivation spring from the beauty and goodness that precede us and awaken us to better possibilities.”.
When you’re inspired, you’re excited about what could be: a great springboard for motivation. Getting inspired usually involves having access to new information or doing something outside of routines. By organising course sessions, fun bonding activities or a channel where your team can share thought-provoking material – you can create an environment where inspiration and creativity are just around the corner.
Choose Making Teams to fuel creativity in your team
Infusing a culture of creativity into your team will ensure it’s high-performing, adaptable and set up for success. Start creating the conditions that inspire creative thinking. With Making Teams Singapore, you can organise fun, virtual team building games that increase team cohesion, raise morale and invigorate spirits. With this, you promote creativity.
Browse our range of online team building games: Murder Mystery, Amazing Race, Escape Room and many more. If you would like to learn more about what you can do to create a high-performing team or what type of remote team building activities you can organise, read our other blogs. Or contact us if you would like to find out more.
5 Ways For Managers to Improve Communication at Work with Staff
In this day and age, where most businesses are working remotely, it’s essential to maintain and improve communication in the team. It eliminates any issues brewing under the surface that no one may be aware of while also streamlining work processes. Most importantly, it sets clear goals, and everyone understands their role in projects.
Here are a few ways to improve communication with your team, whether they work in an office environment or from home.
1. Set up an open-door policy
Your employees and colleagues should feel comfortable contacting or speaking with you when they want to address a matter. Inform them that they can reach out whenever they need someone to talk to, especially when it involves their projects. If they don’t feel they can approach you, they may struggle to complete their tasks on time.
The challenge is ensuring that you’re available when they need you. We know how busy managers can become, especially when you have online meetings all day long. Instead of telling them you have no time for them, schedule an appointment to discuss the issue.
2. Have weekly team huddles
It’s helpful to have weekly team huddles to discuss strategic matters and address key performance indicators and milestones. If you’re handling several projects simultaneously, it is also a good opportunity to check if they’re on track for the deadlines.
It’s essential that you’re dedicated to the weekly meetings; otherwise, your employees won’t take it seriously. You should also put more emphasis on the “how” instead of the “why”– looking for solutions instead of excuses. Ensure that no one goes off-tangent so you can focus on the main discussion points.
3. Incorporate anonymous employee feedback portals
Another way to improve communication with staff is to let them submit anonymous feedback on work and the company. These are usually known as Staff Satisfaction Surveys. You can set what you want them to evaluate, but you should leave a section where they can leave comments about how they feel.
There are some platforms that make this process easier, such as Officevibe. This innovative platform helps employees engage with you and colleagues to overcome challenges. You can also arrange a one-on-one with each team member to discuss their feedback and resolve any issues.
4. Listen more, speak less
Communication works both ways, and sometimes employees just want to be heard. If you spend all of the time speaking, you won’t be able to hear all of the concerns properly. Listening closely also gives you time to assimilate and process what they’re saying before providing a response.
5. Organise team building activities
Finally, you can organise online team building activities for your staff. It opens the way for effective communication in order to solve problems. For example, the Virtual Escape Room requires everyone to work together to unravel clues so they can make it out of the enclosed environment. This can not only improve communication between your team members, but also sharpen their problem-solving skills as they discover what they can achieve as a team.
Organise fun team building games with Making Teams
If you are looking for a corporate team building company in Singapore that offers fun activities that improve communication among your team members, look no further than Making Teams. Our virtual games are specially designed to assist companies with building teamwork and rapport while working remotely. These games are fully customisable according to your specific requirements, so please feel free to reach out to us for more information.
Ice Breaker Ideas for New Staff Members
Joining a new company can be daunting. On top of adjusting to new responsibilities, it can take some time for employees to warm up and bond with colleagues. With remote working arrangements becoming the norm, welcoming new hires into the team becomes even more challenging, especially since staff can’t interact face-to-face.
But just because your staff are working from home in Singapore, doesn’t mean you have to pause ice breaker activities! Simple corporate team-building exercises such as fun virtual games and events are an excellent way to welcome new team members and help everyone get to know one another.
In this article, we’ll dig into how you can make new staff members feel more at home while working from home and share exciting ice breaker ideas you can try!
Why is it important for new employees to fit into the company?
Regardless of working arrangements, effectively integrating new employees into the company is vital. A good fit can boost their morale, productivity and confidence, as they feel happier about their job environment and colleagues. It motivates them to commit to contributing to the company and increases job satisfaction all around for both new and existing staff.
What can you do to make employees feel welcome?
Here are a few ideas to ensure your new staff have a great experience in the first few weeks and make a smooth transition to their new role:
- Have a virtual onboarding lunch: Things don’t have to be formal when meeting the employee for the first time. Arrange an online lunch so you can discuss how the company works over a meal. You can even arrange to have a nice meal delivered to their home.
- Introduce the colleagues: Set up a meeting for all team members to meet the recruit. You should also encourage the team members to have regular discussions in the first month to check in with how they’re doing.
- Pair them with a mentor: It helps to have someone more experienced in the company guiding them along the way and showing them the ropes.
- Ensure documents and processes are well-organised: Nothing is more confusing than starting a new job with a company that’s disorganised. Ensure all the paperwork and standard operating procedures are in place, so the employee completely understands how things work.
How can you facilitate communication amongst new employees?
It’s often the case that new employees don’t feel comfortable speaking up and sharing ideas when they join a company. They may have a wealth of experience and knowledge, but they’re not sure if it’s welcome in the new environment. Your team needs to make them feel like they can communicate at any time.
One way to improve communication is to plan regular corporate team-building exercises throughout the year. It takes them out of the isolated remote working environment and encourages them to brainstorm new ways of doing things.
What type of bonding activities can you arrange?
If you’re wondering which type of activities to organise, why not engage a virtual team-building company like Making Teams? As Singapore’s top provider for online team-building events, we offer a vast range of fun virtual activities that serve as excellent ice breakers for new staff and remote teams. For example, you can send them on an online Treasure Hunt, or they can unleash their inner Sherlock Holmes and work together to complete a Murder Mystery game.
If your team is good at following clues, you can customise a virtual Escape Room that matches your company’s objectives or brand. For a more adventurous undertaking, you can send them on an Amazing Race online across several international destinations. No matter which activity you choose, your new employees are sure to have loads of fun!
Make new employees feel welcome with Making Teams
There’s so much you can do to make new employees feel at home, no matter where they work. In the long run, you’ll see improved communication, boosted staff morale and better performance. We have a host of virtual games you can have a look at for your team. Find out more about our virtual games and activities, and feel free to reach out to us for more information.
