New Year–New Mindset

The first month of the year is a time when we feel a renewed sense of energy in our work. We feel refreshed from the holidays season and the change in the calendar year gives us the opportunity to revamp our goals and map out our next course.

It’s the same with team building. The new year can provide a powerful impetus to implement new team building programs and incorporate new activities. Coming up with a team building plan now is really crucial, before tasks, deadlines, and appointments start piling up and schedules become overfilled.

Make 2021 A Year for Proactive Team Building

Of course 2021 is no normal year, and with everything going on right now, planning regular team building activities is a challenge. The old routine of shinnenkai (new year parties) at a restaurant or izakaya might not be possible.

So, how will you start the new year with bright spirits and good hopes for the future in your company? Despite all the challenges and difficulties, this year is a great chance to get out of the regular team building routine and try something new and exciting, like virtual team building.

Hosting an event to boost the much needed connection between your co-workers, especially if you have already switched to remote work in the past year, is still a good idea. Beyond this, coworkers are also looking for a way to do something fun that is outside of the everyday drill. So why not host an online gathering in the new year. It could be a great chance to relax and get to know your coworkers as you set out on another year of working together.

Tabitantei– A Virtual Online Team Building Experience

Which brings us to Tabitantei, Invite Japan’s online team building program. Tabitantei is a great way to start the new year right. It takes place completely online, meaning that social distancing measures can safely be upheld and that remote and work-from-home colleagues can also participate. Furthermore, because Tabitantei can accommodate large groups of up to 60 plus players at one time, this makes it the perfect event to kick off a new year of team building for the whole team.

Another wonderful benefit of Tabitantei is that players from all over the world can join in the same activity at one time, without setting a foot outside the house. With the continuing difficulties and chaos surrounding travel, especially international travel, it has been hard for international teams and organizations to meet in person, let alone participate in team building activities. Tabitantei allows these kinds of teams to break the ice and get to know each other better while working together solving engaging puzzles.

As we move towards a world where work-from-home and working with colleagues remotely becomes more and more the norm, teams will need to learn new skills in order to communicate effectively and find cohesion and unity despite being physically and socially distant from each other. Tabitantei is the refresh button you need for team building. Using technology and digital tools, Tabitantei teaches teams how to work together in an online environment that they are not used to. Its lessons are easily applicable to our current lives, both professional and personal, where we too are striving to succeed together in a somewhat strange and new remote, digital workspace.

The new year is a time for renewal and regrouping. So what better way to start it than with a program that focuses specifically on new ways to navigate through this new work environment?

Other Activities

Here are some other fun activities that can be enjoyed virtually, and which can supplement your main activity:

Fukuwarai

A popular activity for Shinnenkai is Fukuwarai (lucky laugh) where you add the facial features to the drawing of a blank face while blindfolded. This New Year`s game was first invented during the Edo Period. Why not create your own online version by using an online whiteboard application (like Miro).

Karuta

Karuta are traditional Japanese playing card games, introduced by Portugese merchants in the 16th century. A popular game for New Year`s gatherings is competitive Uta-Garuta, which combines a memory game with traditional Japanese poetry. A reader will read a poem and the players will have to grab the matching card in front of them with the end portion of the poem as fast as possible.

Conclusion

This new year, it may be a good idea to refresh our notions of team building and to plan ahead to deal with the challenges that may come. Deciding on a framework for team building now rather than later will give your organization a competitive edge in terms of efficiency, productivity, and group unity. You can use the changes and challenges that are swirling around to become stronger and more resilient. Invite Japan offers programs and activities, such as Tabitantei, that meet the times and provide experiences that are truly transformative. Our online program especially will get you ready and prepared as a team for the year to come. 2021 has arrived–is your team ready?

For more information about Tabitantei or any of our other team building services, please visit us at www.invitejapan.com If you have an idea for an event or activity that lies outside of the ones listed above, please let us know–we will be happy to collaborate with you and bring your ideas to fruition. Additionally, any of these programs are customizable in terms of keywords, messages, designs, and other content that your company would like to communicate to your team. Please feel free to reach out to us by email at tokyo@invitejapan.com or phone at 050-5585-3663. We look forward to planning a great event with you!