People are social animals. We need social interaction:  to discuss ideas, evaluate situations together, to build and improve relationships and connections. Of course, everyone needs to work on personal development, but in this blog, I would like to concentrate more on the social aspect of human relationships and how to make successful teams. It is crucial to surround ourselves with people with similar values, shared interests, and ones who can motivate us and learn from.

The pandemic set a precedent for social isolation. People getting used to working from the comfort of their homes and ultimately losing some of the ability to interact and create together. Some people also have developed anxiety coming into the office or just do not see the point of going in as they just ultimately end up sitting on Zoom all day. We cannot ignore the sky rocketing ticket fares as well, which have made it challenging for people to justify costs in a time of stagnating wages. Many companies have faced a set of challenges when it came to bringing people back to the office in post pandemic times. Also, in attempting to do so, many have faced the failure in creating an environment that entices people to come back. Many have failed to create a purpose - and , no pizza on a Friday is not purpose (or worth coming into the office for).

Not spending time together as a team though has created challenges when it comes to teams bonding and creating together, some functions suffering more than others. We all joke about the cliche water cooler moments but they cannot be underestimated (call me old fashioned). People hanging out together from time to time allows for better bonding of the team, better conflict resolution and ultimately more creative outputs.

How to make a team successful?

Making remote teams successful has become more challenging than ever before. However, studies have shown that bringing people together with a purpose increases productivity, loyalty, connection and reduces absenteeism. I have a couple of suggestions on how A Mindful Escape can help combine personal development and teamwork improvement, to deliver that sense of purpose to the office.

AME Retreats: Retreat together and come back stronger

It is now more crucial than ever for companies to organize activities that inspire and bring employees together as they have discovered that planning frequent get-aways is an effective approach to guarantee employees foster positive relationships with their coworkers and foster a feeling of company culture that may be absent in more formal settings.

Social experiments show that if you isolate groups of strangers together (in a room, for example) they unconsciously form emotional connections and valuable relationships. Notably, even those with opposing viewpoints work together to create effective solutions when facing challenges.

Making it a pleasant experience, A Mindful Escape can take you on a 5-day journey not in a room, but in a 5-star resort in the heart of the Bulgarian Old Mountain where people can relax, socialise, and take care of their body, mind, and soul. These retreats are perfect for teams to get to know each other in an informal environment, surrounded by breathtaking nature, experiencing a variety of wellness workshops together (some of which I will mention later) as well as having some peace and quiet for oneself and 1:1 session with a coach to work on personal matters. Let me show you two real-life examples of companies that implemented retreats in their employee wellness programs and where did that take them:

Buffer

Let’s take a look at one of the most well-known social media marketing software companies Buffer, whose employees are scattered all around the world, working remotely. How does this business maintain teamwork relations? Buffer organises a large annual gateway for all employees. Additionally, the company hosts mini-retreats for certain departments, teams, or goals spaced out over the year. Despite having its headquarters in San Francisco, Buffer has planned corporate retreats around the United States and even further into Europe. After the implementation of retreats, Buffer reported more productivity and team effectiveness as well as increased shared values and higher engagement.

Salesforce

Another example of improved team relations is the big software company Salesforce which announced its Trailblazer Ranch which hosts annual retreats with wellness activities such as yoga workshops, meditation sessions, and guided nature walks to encourage staff socializing. Since the beginning of Trailblazer Ranch’s creation, Salesforce has acknowledged a noticeable change in the team’s dynamic, being more enthusiastic, achieving better results, and creating mutual respect and an overall better social environment in the workplace.

Corporate Workshops

I know I have already talked about the importance of corporate workshops and the various benefits of different practices A Mindful Escape offers in my previous blogs (you can read them here), but here I’d just briefly mention how these kind of workshops can make a team successful and strengthen its dynamic.

Goal-setting practices are proven to help people be more productive and work better when they have clear goals written down. That way they are more excited to succeed and improve in career aspects and become a valuable team member.

Gratitude practices help people appreciate their efforts and achieve goals and also help people appreciate each other’s work and form a stronger relationship between coworkers.

Meditation helps stress reduction and increases relaxation, which makes people work better together and decreases internal pressure.

Dance meditation is the perfect bonding experience for teams to relax together through fun physical activity, express themselves through body movements, and share a couple of moves…and laughs.

Stretching and Breath work help reduce anxiety, boost serotonin levels, and overall make one feel relieved and better at socializing.

More and more companies put effort into ensuring the well-being of their employees with the most successful companies in the world having great wellness programs. Employees are like a part of a clock: each one plays an important part, but teamwork makes the clock run smoothly with all parts working together. Wellness practices are proven to shape a better understanding of oneself and others. Whether it’s a 5-day retreat or 1-hour workshop, the idea of improved wellness and collaboration will always shine through.