Away days are a great way to inspire, engage and boost morale in a team, whilst re-aligning values and goals. Whilst it is possible to create a safe in-person away day, you and your team may feel more comfortable pivoting to virtual, and that's okay!
We think virtual events can be just as successful as meeting in person when done right. So, here's our top tips for organising an inspiring and engaging virtual away day for your team.
Table of contents
1. Curate great content
2. Choose the perfect platform
3. Bring the team closer together with virtual teambuilding
4. Top tips to execute the perfect virtual away day
Curate great content
The key for an engaging away day is the content and how you deliver it. Rather than death by Powerpoint, really think about how you can keep your team focused and interested in what's on their screens. There are a lot more distractions when people are tuning in remotely, so ensuring your content is top-notch and actually interesting to listen to will definitely boost those engagement levels.
We recommend keeping sessions fairly short and snappy to maximise engagement, avoid screen fatigue and to give attendees the chance to stretch their legs and grab a cuppa etc at regular intervals. It's also a good idea to have some group discussion sessions to mix the day up a bit. Tools like Miro are great for collaborating and sharing ideas virtually.
Choose the perfect platform
Once you've figured out the topics and themes of the content, you're going to need a fantastic platform on which to deliver it!
There are lot of different platforms out there, so it's a good idea to do some research and consider what's important to you. Do you want your team to be able to do live polling, Q&A and chat between sessions? We would recommend making it as interactive as possible as this will make it more fun and will also give the team a chance to ask questions and get the most out of the away day as possible.
Simple platforms like Zoom work well, but there are also more elaborate platforms out there such as Arena which has features and functions ideal for big AGM-style events or conferences. If you're not sure where to start, read this piece on 10 of the best all-in-one virtual event platforms.
Bring the team closer together with virtual teambuilding
Mix up the day by injecting fun in the form of some virtual team building activities. Team building is a great way to boost morale and break the ice, and there are so many virtual activities just waiting to be discovered. Most of us have been working remotely for quite a while now, so maintaining a strong company culture through bonding activities will ensure a cohesive team outlook and allow the team to let their hair down a little.
Whether you want a virtual escape room, pub quiz or murder mystery, our Virtual Event Experts have found the best team building activities around, as well as negotiating great discounts. If you wanted to go all out, you could even organise a food or drinks activity. Wine tasting is always a crowd pleaser, but for a real show-stopper why not do a group cook-along and send each attendee a finish-at-home meal package.
Here's our piece on 11 virtual team building activities to give you some more inspiration, and make sure to check out our other virtual experiences too.
Top tips to execute the perfect virtual away day
- A great way to make your away day more engaging is to use a host. This could be anyone - your boss, your HR guru or even an external facilitator. Having an MC will ensure the day runs smoothly and that everyone sticks to the schedule.
- As with any virtual event, it's crucial to make sure you have some tech support in case there are any unforeseen issues with the platform you're using. Technology is a fickle mistress and you just never know when things may go wrong, so it's best to be prepared!
- Really consider the attendee experience when constructing your away day. Are the sessions too long? Is the content engaging enough? Are your speakers set up in quiet spaces with strong Wifi and headsets to minimise external noise? These are simple things but can make a huge difference either way.
- Have fun! You'll have the chance to chat to colleagues you may not necessarily interact with on a day to day basis, plus getting involved with some fun activities as a team instead of having to send emails all afternoon is certainly a win-win!
Hopefully this has given you some tips on planning your own virtual away day. If you're ready to start planning, then book your free consultation below with our Virtual Event Experts and let's get the ball rolling!
For more guidance and advice on how to plan unforgettable virtual events in the meantime, check out our Complete Guide To Virtual Events. In the meantime, check out Arena as a platform your next away day. With breakout rooms, audience engagement tools and a fully brandable interface to boot, this platform is the new kid on the block.
Author
Izzie Lachecki
Izzie brings a deep understanding of the events world to Hire Space, and keeps busy by writing lots of Hire Space and EventLAB content and managing the Hire Space social media presence.
