Events are an effective means of communication, and a photo activity is one way to use one to strengthen cohesion across your teams.
The problems teams face
Teams are commonly subject to problems that look minor but affect both cohesion and performance. Understanding them is the first step towards an effective solution.
Lack of communication
New technology has considerably reduced the habit of talking within a team. Most people stay fixed on a computer or phone and see no need to approach others.
Yet communication supports a healthy social climate between colleagues and improves working conditions.
Us against them
Teams are generally divided into working units for the sake of efficiency. The main problem with distributed teams is that an “us against them” dynamic tends to set in.
Colleagues within a division become friends and regard everyone else as outsiders. The problem grows when they do not share an office, when the company operates across several sites, or when cultures differ.
Competition
Some competition within a team is essential to its productivity. But an excess of it can poison the working environment.
A colleague who can no longer keep up may become frustrated, and set about making life difficult for the one who excels.
How to strengthen cohesion within a team
The most effective way to strengthen the cohesion of your team is to organise a team day. It can serve several purposes: presenting a new product or service, presenting annual results, professional training, and so on.
In that case the day has to be both professional and enjoyable.
You can also opt for a day that is essentially enjoyable, such as a photo activity, which may suit your colleagues better. The main objective is to be together in a less formal setting, to get to know one another, accept one another and take pride in belonging to the team.
During the team day, favour something new and find a shared subject. The current trend is towards photo activities. They are an effective way to create a family atmosphere and bring a team together. Other innovative options let your whole team take part, whatever their working unit or level of skill.
With WeChain, for example, every member of your team can post photographs they find interesting during an event onto a screen. It is an effective means of communication, since everyone can express themselves on the wall.
The principle is the same as a social wall, except that attendees do not go through social networks to publish, which keeps your event private. Your colleagues, including the more reserved ones, can break the ice and feel at home without worrying about their photographs ending up online.
With effects such as zoom, parallax, filters and fireworks, you can make the photo event more enjoyable and encourage your team to publish more.
After the team day, you will have given your team something to talk about. Each person will see their colleague differently. Most importantly, you will have created a family atmosphere that lets everyone work “together” on the growth of your business and on strengthening your employer brand.