It felt like it would never happen, but Spring 2021 has finally sprung. The buds are bursting, the flowers are flowering, and the vaccines are vaccing!
With all this good weather and relaxing coronavirus restrictions across many countries, it might actually be possible to plan some (still safe) in-person activities for your team to welcome in the warmer weather.
It may have been a little while since you organised your last in-person event, so here are a few tips from us for getting your spring kick-off underway.
Outdoors vs. Indoors- which venue will best suit your event?
While most countries still have fairly tight restrictions around large group gatherings (with some notable exceptions- looking at you, Australia!), we have seen some increases to the number of people that are able to gather at one time.
In Sweden, the number currently sits at 8 for a public gathering, however it is unclear whether this restriction would apply to a large private event, for example with a group of colleagues. In Denmark, the number of people allowed to gather either outdoors or indoors appears to be five, and in Paris, it’s currently six.
A way to respect the limits while including all of the team in your event is by finding an activity that can offer you staggered start times, so you avoid the whole group congregating at the start and end of the event.
Even better, an outdoor activity where participants will spend most of their time in smaller groups or teams is going to be a great way to ensure that everyone can participate safely and respect the current coronavirus restrictions and guidelines.
Our outdoor city challenges work well in this context, as larger groups are broken into smaller teams (normally around 4-5) so everyone can feel that they are participating in the same event while keeping safe and to the recommended limits.
Outdoor events are not only a good opportunity to enjoy the weather- fresh air and a greater ability to maintain physical distance are also benefits of an outdoor kickoff event. Not to mention your team might appreciate doing something lightly active, given that a reduction in physical activity and a (completely forgivable) increase in squishiness has been one of the most notable effects of the lockdowns.
Something involving walking is a good way to keep things light and accessible, but if you have a particularly active group, then something like frisbee golf where everyone has their own equipment could be a good alternative.
However, indoor activities can still work for your spring kickoff, particularly if you have access to facilities that allow everyone to maintain a safe distance. Cocktail making, craft projects, or murder mystery dinners are all great potential options.
2. What’s the focus of your in-person kickoff event?
Given everything that’s happened over the last 12 months, it's probably more important than ever to really think through the priorities for your in-person group event.
Your focus should be capitalising on what might be your team’s first in-person interaction, and you want to make sure the event is something that is a good match for their current needs. Is a targeted team-building or skills-focussed activity the most appropriate, or would a purely social event work better? Is the general mood for an activity that is more relaxed and leisurely, or something exciting, a bit competitive, and that will get the blood pumping?
The answers to these questions are going to help you narrow down what you might choose for your in-person event, and the general rule is that unless you have a group with very clear preferences, something in the middle is going to work for the majority of people.
A team activity that facilitates socialising and has a subtle-team building effect, where groups can complete tasks for a sense of achievement, with a bit of healthy competition thrown in, is likely to go down well for pretty much anyone!
3. Set the participation expectations for in-person events early
If you are going to be gathering in-person for your kickoff event, it might be the first time your colleagues have been outside in a group for some time. They might be feeling a little anxious about how to navigate social interactions in the flesh, so it is a good idea if you as the activity organiser set the expectations early.
Should players wear masks? Will hand sanitizer be available? Coronashakes, elbow-style, only? What are the expectations for keeping distance?
Think about what you feel is best for your company activity combined with current coronavirus recommendations in your area, and make sure you communicate this to your colleagues well in advance of your kickoff event.
4. Is an in-person event actually feasible right now?
It is also worth considering whether an in-person event is actually feasible for your company at this time. There have been many different models for ‘returning to the workplace ’, and if (like most) your workplace has adopted a hybrid model, you will need to consider how best to run an event when everyone is unlikely to be in the same place on the same day.
If it is the case that your team will include some working from home, while others are in the office, how can you ensure that no one feels left out of your kick-off event? There is likely to be a split between those who are really craving an in-person event, and those who would just prefer to join remotely for now.
If this is the case, you are going to need to find an activity where you can combine both in-person and virtual participation in the one event, in a way that everyone feels comfortable and respected.
If so, a virtual event is likely to be the better option for your kickoff, particularly one that can easily accommodate in-person teams with purely remote teams in a simple and easy to manage way.
Our online social games series work really well for hybrid and distributed teams, as players can join from a single device (in the case of a team sitting together in a conference room) or from separate devices (for those playing from home).
Whatever activity you decide for your spring kick-off event this year, we hope you will be able to combine some in-person elements (not to mention the warmer weather!) so that your team can enjoy each others company and blow off some steam after what has been a hell of a year.