COVID-19 has forever changed the landscape of how employees and employers approach the work environment. Organizations should take note of the new engagement techniques that have emerged from this shift and incorporate them into their plan moving forward. Below are three ways our Community Outreach and Employee Engagement, or “Fun” Committee as we like to call it, have implemented team bonding during this time.
Kara Moeller, Parthenon Management Group

Blog By Kara Moeller
Meetings Content Manager

1. Make Staff Meetings Fun & Engaging Gone are the days of a staff meeting where everyone gives a brief 2-minute update. In are the days of focusing on high level announcements and utilizing the remainder of the time for employee training and networking. A few options for you to incorporate in your next team meeting are:
  • Trivia—Make it company focused on policy and see how well your employees know the handbook. Want to raise the fun meter? Make it Disney, Harry Potter, or Marvel themed and see just how diverse your fellow team members are.
  • Training Spotlights—Have team members do a brief training on their area of expertise. You are showcasing different employees’ strengths and fortifying your company standards across the board.
  • Themed Meetups—Take the meeting to a new level by incorporating a theme. Maybe everyone dresses up as Schitts Creek characters; there can never be too many Moira Rose’s in a group. It’s always fun to see how creative people can be.
2. Focus on Personal Employee Engagement Developing company culture is one of the most vital aspects to your success. At PMG, we focus on family values. With that comes a “people first” mentality. Some of the ways we focus on making work feel more like home are:
  • Recognizing birthdays with customized messages and photos of their life.
  • Giving each employee a “Why we are Thankful for You” image where fellow employees have shared what they love most about them each year around Thanksgiving.
  • Collecting company wide donations to celebrate births, weddings, and times of loss. This gives everyone the ability to contribute what they can and shows a unified front to the receiver.
  • Posting videos from our leadership for holidays that showcase employees.
3. Giving Back and Making it Personal One of the focuses of the “Fun” Committee is community outreach. We like to partner with local companies, and we’ve been able to do this virtually by donating meals to frontline workers at Tri-Star Medical Center through Urban Grub. In lieu of Holiday gifts to employees, our CEO donated to Golden Rule Charity to support those who have been affected in the hospitality industry, and Heifer International in line with our sustainability efforts. Last but certainly not least, PMG employees donated to the Nashville Humane Society when one of our own lost their sweet pup. Taking the time to find what is important to your employees and giving back to those causes is something that will make a lasting impression to all. Working from home has shown us that the lifeline of the company still exists in people and the way they connect with each other. While we are looking forward to being back in person and having Happy Hour Fridays and potlucks (well…maybe), for now, we will continue to laugh, share, and continually grow through virtual gatherings. Do you think you’re a good fit for our company culture? See our Available Positions or Start a Confidential Conversation with Our Team Development Manager.