How Banter can bring back the Water Cooler to your Hybrid Workforce
If you’ve been part of a traditional office environment before, you must have experienced the power of a water cooler conversation. It’s not just an opportunity to hydrate; it’s a chance to connect with your colleagues and catch up on what’s happening outside of work. However, with most companies adopting hybrid work models, the physical water cooler conversations have significantly reduced, affecting employee engagement and team building.
Enter Banter by TeamBuilder. It’s a virtual water cooler where team members can engage in non-work conversations, much like a regular water cooler. The AI-powered feature includes personalized questions and prompts to ignite discussions and get to know your peers better. Banter is an excellent way to build a sense of community, even in a remote work setting.
How does Banter work?
Banter can be accessed through the TeamBuilder platform, integrated with communication platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams, and is easy to use. The AI-powered feature generates unique conversation starters, customized to each employee’s interests and experiences. The questions range from light-hearted to thought-provoking, guaranteeing that there’s always something for everyone.
Employees can participate in Banter conversations anytime, making it perfect for employees working in different time zones or with varying schedules. What’s more, every team member can see and respond to everyone else’s responses, making it a chance to connect with colleagues you wouldn’t typically interact with.
Benefits of Banter
Banter is an excellent tool that brings back the social aspect of work––something that has been lost with the shift to remote work. Addition benefits of Banter include:
- Improved Employee Engagement: Engaged employees tend to be more productive and have higher job satisfaction rates. Banter provides an opportunity for employees to socialize in a safe and enjoyable environment. A team that connects learns together and grows together.
- Enhanced Team Building: Team building goes beyond accomplishing work tasks together; it’s about building a sense of community. Banter helps create a shared experience among team members, leading to stronger team camaraderie.
- Promotes Diversity and Inclusion: Banter’s personalized questions allow employees to share their unique experiences, talents, and interests. Therefore, it promotes diversity and inclusion by providing an open forum to learn, share, and connect with colleagues who may not be in the same workgroup.
- Oh… and Banter is ALWAYS FREE!
Banter for free works with:
Conclusion
The water cooler conversation has always been an essential part of the workplace culture. With all the pressures and demands of work, we often forget that taking a break to discuss our personal interests can have a positive impact on our productivity and interpersonal skills. Thankfully, with Banter (as part of the TeamBuilder suite), employees can continue these conversations in virtual spaces and continue building connections. And the best part is, it integrates directly to your Slack or Teams communication platform!
