How To Curate Team Bonding & Client Connection, Remotely
EPIC Virtual Events? Yes, It’s a Remote Reality.
"Remote work is the future of work." -Alexis Ohanian, Reddit
With a wave of remote work taking over globally, companies shifting to a flexible work approach and drastically increasing the talent pool of employees by hiring from anywhere in the world, comes the question, how do we keep company culture thriving, remotely? Implementing the foundation and strategies now for the future culture of remote work is what will set great leaders apart from the rest.
As we have witnessed first hand, global clients navigate the shift to fully remote and assisted them with implementing up to a years worth of quality virtual event programming, we have some insight to share and help guide you on your journey of creating virtual events that will not only be successful but be EPIC.
Let’s get down to the Nitty Gritty - finding an event that all of your attendees will take a liking to can seem daunting. How to gauge your teams interests? Send out a poll with either different event themes, hobbies or specific events you would like to host and see what everyone selects. This is a great way to group people together that have similar interests and you know would attend those specific events together. Although “Michelle” may be interested in a mocktail DIY event, “Mark” may be interested in a bougie swag bag and a mini Motivational Power Series.
Another helpful poll to take is which day/time people prefer to attend an event. A huge part of remote work culture is to be mindful of your teams schedules and their home life. Asking your people when is best for them to attend an event will not only be appreciated but will guarantee a higher attendance rate. Doing this research and checking it off your list upon onboarding or early on in implementing your event programs will set you up for success.
"I spoke at the Cvent Connect last week, which was also live-streamed, and witnessed the virtual audience being more engaged than the audience in the room," reports Ekaterina Walter, Senior Director of Marketing at ZincFive. "Attendees who were physically present told me they'd be watching sessions they missed on-demand after the event and recommending those they enjoyed the most to their colleagues who were able to purchase a virtual-only pass."
Virtual does not have to be BORING. Sending your team a virtual escape room or bingo invite may not be the most thrilling RSVP they submit. Just because you’re not entertaining in-person doesn’t mean you can’t have a similar feeling and quality service. Want to take your team to a Broadway Show? Done. Book Broadway performers for an intimate virtual performance. Looking for a team bonding retreat at a vineyard? Have curated wines shipped to each guests doorstep and zoom them into a vineyard in Napa. Elevated virtual events are a possibility and your attendees will thank you for creating memorable experiences.
Zoom Fatigue? It can be like that sometimes! If you notice your teams have been booked on back to back meetings, instead of asking them to come on video for a team event, we recommend switching gears and sending them a digital or physical swag bag. It’s the “ Thinking of you” of the corporate world. Sending your team something they can enjoy on their own time is often just as valuable and appreciated as a produced event.
Timing is Everything. A global workforce means Time Zones and lots of them. We have found that clients who chose a time to host their event in the time zone most of their employees were located in has been best practice. Another option which has been a hit amongst teams has been hosting multiple events throughout one week where each attendee chose which time worked best for them to attend. Whether you have 20 employees or 2,000, getting everyone together in “ one room” is a reality!
Virtual Events are vital component for any company that operates fully remote. From team bonding to client appreciation, going the extra mile and keeping connection alive is key in maintaining a united company culture. Creating the feeling that there is no distance between you with virtual events is absolutely a possibility! With effective planning strategies and refreshing out-of-the-box events that have that personal touch, your employees and clients will RSVP for the next event before you even send the invite.
Memorable Virtual Events, Take Away the Distance in Remote Work. - Curated People