Telework is full of benefits, but also challenges. I have been interested in the issue of relationships during a pandemic. Here are examples of employers who have shown creativity and kindness to maintain this precious bond that unites them with their teams.

1. The secure cockpit The digital solutions firm Osedea is known for its human corporate culture and innovative practices. The one that caught my attention is their “ secure cockpit ”. The what? Imagine being at the controls of a plane and at take-off time you receive a whole range of notifications. It’s hard to maintain your attention during your maneuvers, right?

When working remotely, digital noise is frequent and overwhelms us: emails, text messages and chats. So, from Monday to Thursday, between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., Osedea employees are in their “secure cockpit”, without disturbance. This time slot allows staff to advance their projects and eliminate items from their to-do list. Of course, it is always possible to exchange with their colleagues to move their files forward!

2. I have to tell you…

How are you today? Have you caught up on the latest news? These hallway conversations have been rare since the start of lockdown. To take the pulse of their team and care about their well-being, many employers have set up informal communication channels.

At Coboom, a strategic management consulting network, 15 to 30 minutes a day are allocated to discussions in order to catch up and check in on each other. The team meets on Zoom and each member takes turns answering 4 questions in 60 seconds:

1. How do I feel? 2. My favorite thing of the day is… 3. My rant of the day is… 4. I can’t wait for tomorrow, because…

3. Bye bye solitude

In these times of isolation, managers and employees can participate in a virtual community meal. At Kezber, an IT solutions company, lunches between colleagues are organized every Tuesday at noon. At Openmind Technologies, developers of technological business solutions, President Jonathan Léveillé wanted to make himself accessible to everyone through “mididiscussions”. His employees, nicknamed the players, are invited to ask all their questions about the company and the decisions made. Excellent for communicating and maintaining a connection despite the distance, these meetings are very successful. Not to mention the s 4 à 7 beer (pictured on the right) and the Facebook group Tricoté tendu en remote where it is possible to exchange with colleagues and maintain team spirit! Life at the office has gone virtual!

4. Virtual escape game

Social distancing makes team building activities complex. Yves Rocher found a solution to entertain its employees. The plant-based cosmetics company offered the company's virtual escape game Défi-Évasion for free. Team members could connect remotely to view and discuss the game. They had a limited time to find the clues together that would allow them to complete the challenge.

5. Doorstep Delivery Physical health is key to well-being. With this in mind, Daniel Giroux, founder of the e-commerce agency Axial, traveled 175 kilometers in 5 hours to offer organic fruit baskets to his employees with a little note: “ Well-being is the key to getting through this particular period. We can never say it enough: breathe, move, eat and smile! ”

“Cultivating your well-being during confinement is not always easy,” he explains. “Personally, my well-being comes partly from the fact that I know my team is happy and healthy. And it was at the wheel of my car that I was able to contribute to this!”

6. Discovering hidden talents

COVID-19 gives us the chance to get to know each other differently and discover the hidden talents of our colleagues and managers. At Yves Rocher, CEO Bris Rocher played guitar on a video sent to all employees. Again at this international group, every week, department managers challenge their employees: show your best smile, with or without makeup, teeth brushed or not; share a photo of your companions (pets, plants) during confinement.

7. Address mental and physical health Mental health is essential. Employers have implemented measures and resources to ensure the mental and physical health of their employees. The Yves Rocher company has made available the EQ Care service which provides free access to a doctor or psychologist by webconference. It is therefore possible to contact these professionals when the need arises.

For its part, Axial has introduced two cardiac coherence sessions per day to help employees manage stress. Interested employees meet on Zoom at the start of the day and in the afternoon to follow the workshop as a group, each in front of their screen. This break is ideal for relaxing and taking a moment for yourself. (Video on the right)

8. Live office noises

In confinement, we may miss the little details: hellos, time spent at the coffee machine, ambient noises, little tips... Not to mention the quick questions we ask our colleagues. Openmind Technologies has decided to recreate the office atmosphere by department. For example, colleagues can connect to the Discord software to chat in real time or simply hear the ambient noises that remind us of office life! No more emails, just talk to your teammate!

9.Reading and helping hands

Some jobs cannot be done remotely. As we know that isolation is difficult and that time is long, Accès Location + offered to pay all its employees for a book of their choice, on the sole condition that it be purchased from a Quebec retailer. This was one of the many measures offered by the company to take care of its employees during confinement. Interest-free loans of $1,000 were also granted to help with financial health.

10. Move virtually

At Coboom, yoga classes, running, meditation, Zumba and other activities were part of the daily routine at work. To maintain these healthy habits, the company went virtual. Everyone joined on Zoom while a team member demonstrated the yoga exercises they used to do at the office! The important thing is to move and maintain the routine when possible.

Like these inventive companies, there are a host of good telework practices. But what is the key? In my opinion, we have to ask ourselves the question: what brings our team together? When we look at a company's culture, it is possible to answer this question. Once we have found the routine or value that unites us, for example, we must nurture it even remotely. It will then be a point of reference for everyone, managers and employees.