Your own room. No commute. Your full selection of teas in the cupboard and the freedom to take the dog for a walk at lunch. There are many advantages to working from home. But there are downsides too. You lose the casual coffee break, and the chats in the elevator about your weekend. The simple, everyday interactions that turn a group of people into a team.

There is a kind of team cohesion that comes from being in the same place—the comfort of people who are around each other enough to relax. Online, colleagues are reduced to a face in a box, a name on an email, and a job title. And the lag and lack of eye contact on video conferencing software can feel frustrating and isolating. But it doesn’t have to be this. Remote working can work.

AndAlso has its origins in online improv classes during the pandemic. As directors, we were among the first improv trainers in the world to move our classes online. We have run hundreds of online sessions with hundreds of students from across the globe, some of them waking up for classes and some staying up. So we know that while Zoom (our preferred platform) has its challenges, a team that interacts through video conferencing can still be a team. It just takes a little work. 

Online improv training works on the deep concentration and presence which video conferencing makes challenging. We foreground listening, focus and cooperation, making meetings more valuable and, just as importantly, enjoyable. Teams trained with us report closer communication, less conflict and greater employee satisfaction. Improv is much more than just making it up!

Online improv classes can help your team to bond closely and in a very short space of time. Simple exercises adapted for the online space allow your staff to laugh, play and connect quickly and effectively with each other, whether the start of an online meeting or conference or as part of a longer programme. And the simple set of take-home practices that we share can be applied in any meeting without expert guidance. 

Contact us to discuss your team’s needs in the contact form below.