Four fun apps to boost connection with colleagues

Life is beginning to go back to the normal we know. Businesses are reopening their offices, and some of us are trickling back to our desks. But will things return just as they were before the pandemic? The jury is still out, but the case for increased remote working has likely got stronger for many businesses.

But what happens with the lunch breaks and quick catch-ups over coffee that we usually have every day in the office?

“We have fewer points of contact in our everyday lives now,” says Trond Vinje, Executive Vice President for Human Resources at TietoEVRY. “When you don’t sit in the same office space as your colleagues, one might feel like needing to have an agenda to be able to pick up the phone and call them”.

Trond points to the fact that every person’s needs are different when it comes to motivation and drive. Social needs might play an important role in your performance. And informal discussions might be important for your motivation and to get you going on work-related tasks.

Read more about what Trond thinks about this new normal.

Lack of activity

Another downside of home office life can be that you are not moving as much as before. Prolonged periods of sitting still are bad for your health.

To make the best out of the situation we have gathered some apps and platforms that may help you communicate better and close the gap between you and your colleagues, as well as motivate and activate your body and mind:

Workplace:

In these times, we need excellent tools to communicate with our colleagues. When we are sitting apart from each other it is even more important to have tools that make it easier to connect. Workplace is an easy way to connect with your colleagues in a fun and casual way.

The tool is developed by Facebook and offers almost all the same features as Facebook itself, so it will be familiar to many. You can share pictures and status, change your profile picture, not to mention chat and call. The main difference from its sister application is that you join groups that you and your colleagues have made yourself. Workplace makes it easier to be closer to your colleagues even when you are physically far apart.

Tappa:

Are you one of the many who unconsciously let home office affect your activity levels? When you are working from home, the trip to the kitchen to make a coffee is not quite the same as a brisk walk to the office. And it is too easy to jump from your office chair to the couch after a long day at work. But with Tappa, a little bit of competitive spirit and good teamwork, you can be much more active.

Tappa is an app that promotes healthy activity and fun contact with your colleagues. You can choose a project – say, virtually climb Mount Everest or embark on a walk for charity, and collect steps in teams to complete the challenge. You can also engage in some friendly competition with other teams in your business.

To collect steps, you can work out, run, walk and swim but also help out a colleague, take a digital coffee or have a walk and talk meeting. There are many ways to collect steps and win the challenge.

Teams:

Teams has many of the same features as Workplace when it comes to chat and calls. But in this tool, it is also easier to share documents with one person or everyone in your business. You can make a Teams room for everyone or small groups that are working on a specific project. If your business already has Teams, you are probably using this tool as your meeting platform. Teams is excellent when it comes to digital meetings both with and without video.

Strava:

Strava is a popular activity app you can use while running, walking, and cycling. Here, you can record the activity and share it on your timeline, enabling your friends and followers to give kudos and leave comments. Your followers and friends can also share their own races and workouts so you can compare results and compete to get the best time.

The opportunities are endless, and it is all about finding the right tools and platforms for your business and employees. Feel closer to your colleagues, communicate more effectively and boost your activity levels for a more motivating workday!