We're big fans of trying out-of-the-box new ideas. That's why we got out-of-our-Zoom-boxes and hosted our recent all-hands company retreat in the...metaverse.
We heard a lot of positive feedback from our team...
- "As a new hire who hasn't met any of the team in-person, this helped me feel a lot closer with my teammates on a personal level. I can't wait to do it again."
- "Unlike Zoom where you can't have sidebar conversations, it was fun to be able to chat in small and large groups."
But, not everyone is on board with jumping into the metaverse (and that's perfectly ok).
- "I didn't participate in the metaverse event because having the Internet strapped to my face gives me anxiety. But, I did join the team via desktop which was an ok experience at best."
Metaverse meetups can help combat fatigue and burnout, but they aren’t a one-stop solution to fostering a connected culture.
There is the potential for VR to become more integrated into workplace culture, but in its current state, accessibility and exclusion of those who can’t physically participate is concerning.
On top of that, some people might be on the same page as Matthew McConaughey in Salesforce’s “Team Earth” campaign – preferring to focus on earth over the metaverse.
If you’ve dabbled in the VR world at work, we’d love to hear what you think!
📚 What We're Reading
1️⃣ Slack or bust: How workplace tools are becoming job deal-breakers
Your team has strong opinions about the collaboration tools they use at work – from Outlook to Gmail and Teams to Slack. Whether you realize it or not, the platforms your company uses have a real impact on recruiting and retaining talent.
And, if your team is bouncing between too many different tools, they will get frustrated because they’re wasting time trying to hunt down specific files. Not only does it decrease efficiency and performance, it also increases chances of burnout.
Our advice is to simplify the number of platforms you use and get frequent feedback from your team.
2️⃣ When Subtraction Adds Value
“In one study of organizational change, for example, we found that when stakeholders suggested hundreds of ways to improve an organization, fewer than 10% of those improvements involved taking something away.”
We see this happen all the time. People often jump to additive solutions instead of considering subtraction.
Our teammate Andrew shared the perfect example:
- Challenge: Teammate isn't clear on priorities or an initiative is off track.
- Additive Solution: Send emails restating what is likely already known or schedule more meetings.
- Subtractive Solution: Ask questions to get to the root of what is causing the visible issues. What clutter needs to be cleared? Are there too many "most important" priorities? What are the barriers that are causing projects to run past the deadline?
📆 Join Us Live
Burned out trying to solve for burnout in your organization?
Feel like you're on the wrong side of the burnout teeter-totter?
To offer actionable advice and support, change management expert Andrew Freedman is hosting a live session on Tuesday (2/22).
You'll learn:
- The reality about burnout – what it is and why it's happening
- The role leaders and employees play in preventing, controlling, and reversing burnout
- How to thrive amidst change and chaos
Even if you can't attend live, make sure to sign up so you can score access to resources following the event.
Bring your questions and get ready for a lively conversation. Hope to see you there!
Shoutout to our teammate Julie Gelb who helped shape this week's edition of Stories that SHIFT.
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