Remote company offsites: good idea or bad idea?
The festive season is fast approaching! A chance for everyone to reconnect with colleagues and take stock of the year gone by — personally and professionally. Year-end offsites and events are usually all about annual reviews and financial targets. Plenty of companies use this moment to announce results and structural changes… and risk forgetting the human side altogether. Working together is one thing. Building real cohesion by genuinely caring about people is another. What if the end of the year was a time to say thank you, after years that have been so demanding for companies and their teams? There’s no better way to strengthen bonds at work than a relaxed, informal setting. But how do you create group cohesion when everyone is apart? The answer lies in a remote company offsite ?
Informal moments at work: why do they matter so much for cohesion?
According to a BVA survey, only 1 in 3 managers feel they have a say in employee relations at their company, and more than half believe that recognising good work is essential.
That recognition can come, in part, through informal events — and these days, remote ones. They help employees get to know each other better (and, ideally, like each other), strengthen the employer brand by keeping alive the social and cultural values it stands for, bring your team together and create a sense of cohesion, all while thanking your people and showing them that the human side really matters. A great opportunity to motivate, to connect and to reinforce existing bonds. As for communication, informal settings tend to make it more democratic: employer and employee alike feel free to interact openly. Informal communication also helps create a better working environment. People listen to each other more and are more willing to help solve each other’s problems.
From a management point of view, informal moments are essential. They ease the burden of oversight on leaders, and offer a subtle way to test ideas and gather feedback.
The many forms of informal activities
Informal activities come in all shapes and sizes, starting with everyday working life. Think of the famous coffee machine, the beating heart of some companies, or the more modern take: startups installing table football, pool and ping-pong in their offices. At Arcane, we go for board games — even when working from home — and the odd lunch out when we can meet up. At NRJ, you can go and work out with your colleagues before going on air. As for the CAC40 giants, they have their own way of thinking big. Apple keeps the young, cool spirit alive with beer nights and superstar gigs, and Google invites people to bring in… their dogs! All great ways to spark conversation and build genuine group dynamics.
Beyond the day-to-day, the options for events are endless. Think team building, after-work drinks, or breakfasts, lunches and dinners. And when everyone is working remotely, it all has to go digital. “But it’s just not the same!” we hear from the back of the room. WRONG — you just need a bit of imagination. Adapting is what humans do best! The key is to keep things varied.
When should you hold your event to get people talking informally?
As for timing, while it’s essential to keep bringing teams together throughout the year, some moments stand out. Welcome and farewell drinks, for instance. Onboarding is easier for newcomers who get to meet their colleagues in a relaxed setting, and farewell drinks let those moving on to new adventures leave with a good final memory of the company, while reminding those who stay what the company’s values and spirit are all about. A celebration (the company’s 10th anniversary, a major contract signed, a strong quarter, and so on) is another perfect excuse for informality — and another chance to thank your teams and re-energise them for what comes next.
Alongside these moments spread across the year, the peak time to bring your teams together for a great event is, without a doubt, the festive season. 72% of companies organise one — a figure that is sadly on the decline. The festive season is the perfect excuse to gather your people and thank them for everything they bring, especially after a demanding year for everyone. A chance to show they’ve been there for the company, and that the company is there for them. Broadly speaking, this kind of event lets everyone have fun outside the usual work setting and appreciate colleagues’ personal qualities. A good atmosphere at work means better team performance. And the good news is that the events world has adapted: there are plenty of digital solutions to keep informality alive from a distance!
Informal moments build a sense of belonging
Whatever form it takes, informality plays a vital role within a company, especially in large organisations where it doesn’t happen automatically and where individuality can get lost in the crowd. So don’t overlook this side of management: keep bringing your teams together at the end of the year, and throughout it. Several options exist, and team building is a safe bet, blending fun and learning — and remember that games can serve all sorts of purposes. Take the plunge to improve team cohesion and effectiveness, and to unite your teams around a shared challenge.
Team building is Arcane Experience’s speciality: a playful activity for your team that includes every member, encourages mutual support, creates a shared goal, strengthens cohesion, builds a sense of belonging and boosts productivity. A sociable moment where team spirit takes over and everyone pulls together on a shared project! Working with Arcane is, above all, teamwork — so we can respond to your challenges and objectives and bring your teams closer together.
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