3 Activities to Boost Employee Engagement Immediately
Employee engagement is a crucial factor in building a high-performing team & a positive workplace culture. Here are three engaging activities that teams can implement to enhance connection, creativity, & resilience.
Leadership Metaphor
One of our favorite activities at The Perk is the Leadership Metaphor exercise! This activity encourages everyone on the team to explore their surroundings & find an object that represents what great leadership means to them. They then take a picture of the object & share it with the group.
Activity Steps:
Explore: Give team members 10 minutes to explore their environment & find an object that symbolizes leadership to them.
Capture: Ask each team member to take a picture of their chosen object.
Share: Reconvene as a group & have each team member share their object & explain why they chose it & how it represents leadership.
Discuss: Facilitate a discussion around the different metaphors, highlighting the diversity of perspectives & insights.
Why We Love It:
Creativity: This activity sparks creativity as team members draw unique connections between objects & leadership.
Reflection: It allows everyone to reflect on their understanding of leadership & its impact.
Team Bonding: Sharing personal metaphors fosters a deeper understanding & connection within the team.
Try It Now: Take 10 minutes to look around your desk or workspace. Find an object that symbolizes leadership to you, take a picture, & share your story. For example, I have a box of colored pencils on my desk. To me, leadership is about flexibility & diversity—just like I choose different colors for different situations, I adapt my approach based on the team's needs.
Focus on the Path, Not the Trees 🌳
Inspired by a powerful video from Simon Sinek, this activity helps teams identify & overcome distractions that hinder their progress.
Activity Steps:
Watch the Video: Share Simon Sinek's video with your team. Watch here.
Reflection: Discuss the following questions:
“What does your path look like?”
“What are the 'trees' (distractions) in your work that divert your attention?”
“How can you refocus on your path with clarity & purpose?”
Why We Love It:
Clarity: Helps team members identify & prioritize their goals.
Focus: Encourages a shift from distractions to what truly matters.
Support: Fosters a supportive environment where team members help each other stay focused.
Try it Now: Watch the video & reflect on the questions above. What's your path, & what are your 'trees'?
The Sweet & Sour Side of Change
Change can be challenging, & this activity using Extreme Sour Warheads candy vividly illustrates the varied reactions to change.
Activity Steps:
Hand Out Candy: Give each team member an Extreme Sour Warhead without explaining why.
Observe Reactions: Ask team members to put the candy in their mouths & observe each other's reactions.
Discussion: Use the following points to guide the discussion:
Some people may dislike the sourness immediately, while others may tolerate it better.
This mirrors how individuals react to change—some resist, while others adapt more quickly.
Highlight the transition from sour to sweet, emphasizing the potential positive outcomes of change.
Why We Love It:
Engagement: The unexpected use of candy grabs attention & makes the activity memorable.
Insight: Provides a tangible way to discuss & understand different reactions to change.
Team Cohesion: Helps team members empathize with each other’s experiences & build collective resilience.
Try it Now: If your organization is going through significant changes, this exercise can be a great ice-breaker to acknowledge & address the feelings around it.
Implementing these activities can immediately boost employee engagement, foster deeper connections, & help your team navigate challenges more effectively. Try them out & share your experiences with us! 🌟
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