It can be tough to think up novel ways to take a break with your colleagues, or how to carve out a little time together to have a catch-up about things other than work.
We asked some colleagues what they鈥檝e been doing to stay in touch and here’s what they’ve said:
Share what makes you smile
Setting up a to share pictures of your daily walks, your hobbies鈥� You may have tried out a new recipe which you could share with others and post a picture of how it went. Share what makes you smile. Others may see your posts and be inspired to try something new for themselves.
Scavenger hunts
To break the daily routine, I recently organised a scavenger hunt via Teams for my colleagues. We each had five items to find in our homes within five minutes, including: a kitchen utensil (the more unusual, the better), a piece of sporting equipment, a mug or cup with writing on it, something that is red in colour, and the oldest thing you can lay your hands on. It was great fun to see what objects people gathered in the time and even more fun to hear the stories behind some of the items, like a century-old jug one of my colleagues presented which once graced the bar of his grandfather鈥檚 pub and a spaghetti portion measurer we all wished we had! What the experience gave us was a chance to just have fun whilst learning a little about each other we didn鈥檛 previously know through the objects we selected. Who knew that a set of loch ness monster ladles could say so much about a person. Try it and see what you discover!
Coffee Catch up and quizzes
In our Faculty Operating Service team (FOS) we have been having regular quizzes and have a standing coffee catch up in the diary each day, these have been in place since we first went into lockdown last year. For the whole faculty we had a Christmas celebration online in which members of the team spoke on traditions from their own countries and we had some performances.
Try something new (sea shanties anyone?)
Based on one of the Five Ways to Wellbeing (NHS), 鈥淜eep Learning鈥�, and in this period when it is tradition to give something up for Lent, we have set up a pledge board and are encouraging staff to take up something new and share it with others through posting their pledges on a Padlet.
On a lighter note and also building on the 鈥渢rying something new鈥�, we are introducing the 鈥淟ibrary and Arts Sea Shanty Competition鈥�.聽 We will be encouraging staff to have a go at writing a sea shanty and posting their lyrics or performing it (if they feel brave enough) in the virtual staffroom.聽Staff will be given the opportunity to vote for their favourite and the winner will be awarded a prize!
Have more ideas? Please get in touch with us and let us know internalcomms@soton.ac.uk
