Companies, employers and employees are speeding through the working day from their own living room. Boring doesn’t have to be so teleworking. In this section we collect the best stories. Today: Eddy Geerkens, Chief Financial Officer at Strategic Services Company Hill+Knowlton Strategies.
“Our company advises Belgian and international companies and organisations such as the European institutions on their communication and PR. We employ 35 people from 15 different nationalities who speak 25 different languages. Many of them have no family in Belgium.
Since the lockdown, they have been glued to their apartment or house. Some of them don’t have a family here either, so they’re all alone. They have lost all social contacts, in addition to the working atmosphere, to the outside world. That is why we immediately realised that we had to reach out to our colleagues so that they would not feel lonely in these corona times.
Every Friday evening we organize an online activity. We often play games or box a quiz into each other. For the time being, I have found the best task with pictures. All staff were asked to send a picture from the old box and a funny current picture. They all had to connect. Some hilarious photos have surfaced there.
The beauty of these activities is that everything can be a little looser. We sit together after the work week and it happens in your own environment, so some feel less inhibited. We have a relatively young team with a lot of 25- to 35-year-olds. So we also played an evening with drinking games, like ‘I’ve never had…’. I can assure you that you will get to know colleagues in a different way. (laughs). That’s why we meet consciously after work. Nobody feels pressure. Everything has to be fun.”
“We also sent our employees a Corona gift basket. It contained a bottle of champagne or duvel with biscuits or chocolate. We also have such a thank you for our two foreign workers – in Germany and France. It is also important to send them a signal that they belong. And now that we as a company are costing less, that’s the least we can do for the team.
I note that our team appreciates these initiatives very much. It has become for most its weekly outlet. No one should participate, but about 80 percent do. Often these Friday sessions last three hours or more. Some disappear for a while to eat, but then reconnect. And when the conversation threatens to fall silent, someone asks a new question that makes us go again. Even Site Proposals for the next e-activity are already under way.
Especially for our young employees, it is good that they see each other and maintain contact. They get to know each other in a different way. We think this is important for the group atmosphere. In addition, we also contribute as management. Our Chairman Thomas Tindemans also joins us. This shows how close our team is.”
Do you do something original and beautiful to get the teleworking fun? Post is still possible: myrte.de.decker@trends.be We take care of the rest.
“Our company advises Belgian and international companies and organisations such as the European institutions on their communication and PR. We employ 35 people from 15 different nationalities who speak 25 different languages. Many of them have no family in Belgium. Since the lockdown, they have been glued to their apartment or house. Some of them don’t have a family here either, so they’re all alone. They have lost all social contacts, in addition to the working atmosphere, to the outside world. That is why we immediately realised that we had to reach out to our colleagues so that they would not feel lonely in these corona times. Every Friday evening we organize an online activity. We often play games or box a quiz into each other. For the time being, I have found the best task with pictures. All staff were asked to send a picture from the old box and a funny current picture. They all had to connect. Some hilarious photos have surfaced there. The beauty of these activities is that everything can be a little looser. We sit together after the work week and it happens in your own environment, so some feel less inhibited. We have a relatively young team with a lot of 25- to 35-year-olds. So we also played an evening with drinking games, like ‘I’ve never had…’. I can assure you that your colleagues will get to know me differently (laughs). That’s why we meet consciously after work. Nobody feels pressure. Everything has to be fun.” In addition, we have all sent our employees a Corona gift basket. It contained a bottle of champagne or duvel with biscuits or chocolate. We also have such a thank you for our two foreign workers – in Germany and France. It is also important to send them a signal that they belong. And now that we as a company are costing less, that’s the least we can do for the team. I note that our team appreciates these initiatives very much. It has become for most its weekly outlet. No one should participate, but about 80 percent do. Often these Friday sessions last three hours or more. Some disappear for a while to eat, but then reconnect. And when the conversation threatens to fall silent, someone asks a new question that makes us go again. Even on the ground, proposals for the next e-activity are already being put in place. Especially for our young employees, it is good that they see each other and maintain contact. They get to know each other in a different way. We think this is important for the group atmosphere. In addition, we also contribute as management. Our Chairman Thomas Tindemans also joins us. This shows how close our team is.”