The current circumstances we’re all experiencing have changed our reality in so many ways. For many of us, one of the biggest most challenging changes has been having to adapt to a new way of working. But how do we maintain a sense of team, a sense of comradery, when we are in a position where we might not see our teammates as much anymore? This article will go through a list of fun, group activity ideas to stay connected and boost morale.

Create a staff comms outlet

One of the easiest things that teams can do, is to keep each other in the loop about what everyone has been up to! One of our academies has been doing just that; Oasis Academy Sholing in Southampton have been creating a regularly ‘newsletter’ where staff can contribute with what they have been watching, recommendations for reading, updates in the area, games they’ve played at home or link/ideas for recipes. Together they’ve been supporting each other through this by sharing stories and even writing little quizzes.

Organise group online exercise classes

Do you miss going to the gym? It might be that that motivation to workout at home is dwindling by now. Many people feel the same way but having weekly or fortnightly exercise sessions together online can make all the difference.  Whether it’s Yoga on Teams, Hiit or weights on Zoom, exercising together will boost the mood in times of tension and anxiety. Why not take turns in leading?

Hold a cooking competition

I’m sure you’ve heard of MasterChef and Bake Off. Have you ever thought about organising your very own version with a little twist? For example, rather than judging on the taste - judge on the presentation and creativity. A bit of friendly competition may be a great way to boost team morale. Decide on a theme or recipe and each have a go!

Book club

Do you love reading? We all enjoy our own specific genre of books we may want to share and discuss with our colleagues. Why not start a virtual book club! Choose a book each month and then set a meeting in place to get together over virtual coffee (or drink of your choice) to chat about it. This will not only help teams become more social, but it will also broaden our reading horizons.

WhatsApp work groups

With all the social networks at our disposal, there are endless ways we can stay connected with colleagues. Why not start a work WhatsApp group to help conversation flow. If you have people interested, set up some ground rules about what people should discuss/bring to the conversation (this is about sharing good ideas, positivity, or funny videos rather than moaning about work or colleagues who aren’t yet in the group).

Throw a Netflix party

Do you miss watching movies with friends? No need to worry, Netflix now offers Netflix Party on laptops. The chrome extension adds a chat room to the screen, so you’ll still be able to share your thoughts, and of course, have a laugh together. Find a time convenient for everyone, grab your popcorn and watch that movie you’ve all been dying to watch.

Movie suggestion game

We may not all be able to throw a Netflix party; therefore the movie suggestion game be a better option. Each week, have a different member of your team choose a movie they would like the whole team to watch. Once everyone has watched the movie, share your thoughts and opinions about the movie. What was your favourite part? How did it make you feel? What has it taught you? These are great conversation starters.

Coffee dates

If all else fails, the easiest way we can keep up with each other is to meet for virtual coffee and catch up. Why not put a recurring diary invite in for an hour each week for staff to get together and have a natter over a hot drink. Make sure videos are on though – this will help you to feel connected.

Boosting morale during the COVID-19 pandemic is all about showing we care, remaining hopeful, finding reasons to celebrate, and making our current conditions feel as normal as possible. We hope you were able to find some fun activities you can do together from the list above. Feel free to share your ideas with us too!