Noticing a summer “brain drain” within your IT team?
It’s pretty typical during summer months. Like other types of employees, you may find your otherwise focused tech professionals staring out windows… thumbing through their phones… basically doing anything BUT collaborating with their cohorts.
But although you may have considered holding a team-building event to ramp-up their focus and motivation, determining exactly what kind of activity to plan is a tough challenge. After all, the standard “ice breakers” often leave employees feeling awkward – even irritated – and heaving a massive collective groan.
That doesn’t mean you should abandon the idea; it just means you need to plan IT team-building events carefully. Looking for a few ideas to get started? Check out this list our Nashville recruiters assembled:
Take a field trip.
Often, the best way for IT professionals to gel as a team is by getting to know one another outside the scope of their projects. Why not create an off-site excursion? Take a poll to see what kind of outing your employees would prefer and involve them in planning a half-day, whole-day or after-hours field trip. Your options are limited only by your budget and your imagination!
Plan an online scavenger hunt.
This activity promotes creative problem-solving and cooperation, while using the technology IT professionals love. Prepare a list of information to find that provide clues to solving a riddle, or create a list of items to find online. Then, break your group into small teams to work together. The first team that solves the riddle or finds all the items on the list wins.
Hold an innovation day.
Set aside a half or whole day for your team members to work on “extracurricular” projects they’d otherwise not have the time for. During the innovation day, team members can propose ideas that lead to new projects/new roles for employees, and the whole team can work together to create something new for your organization.
Create a “show and tell” event.
It may sound a little like elementary school, but this type of team-builder is a great way to help individuals get to know one another better – if it’s done properly. Ask each member of your IT team to prepare a short, informal presentation (using visuals!) on something that reflects themselves outside of work. It could be something that relates directly to the field of IT (like a moonlighting project) or more personal (such as a hobby or hidden talent).
Let Wood Personnel Help You Build a Stronger IT Team
As a leading Middle Tennessee IT staffing and recruiting partner, Wood Personnel has the resources, expertise and local market connections to make your IT team even stronger. Here is a sampling of IT positions for which we recruit:
- Programmer Analysts
- Client/Server Developers
- Database Professionals
- Network/Systems Administrators
- IT Management
- Project Managers
- Web Developers
- Mainframe Developers
- AS/400 Developers