The importance of engaging your teams & their families in lockdown

In these wild times it is easy to get caught up in what feels like the same day on repeat, we have very little variety each day and spend a lot of our time indoors. After months in lockdown getting creative and finding new ways to engage with our colleagues, friends and family can at times feel exhausting. With home-schooling, virtual meetings, and daily exercise it can be hard to find time to schedule an activity that works for everyone.

It is important we don’t shy away from staying connected and offer actives that welcome kids and families to join in too. Check out 5 of our top tips to think about when scheduling virtual activities include:

1. Time of day

Think of what your teams might have on in their day. Are they home-schooling, do a lot of colleagues have meetings at a certain time, would a morning meeting, a lunch time chat or evening event work best for most people?

2. Duration

Think about quality time, not quantity. Many of us are juggling more than ever right now, from WFH and home schooling. Plan your virtual activities with a good amount of time to have a nice break from your day, but ensure it’s not too long or teams may lose focus.

3. Access

Will everyone have access to the platform you are using and does it require an account? We’ve likely all discovered the benefit of platforms like Zoom, where you can easily join with no need to sign up.

4. Inclusivity

Now is not the time to expect our team members to be able to separate work and family, so plan an activity that everyone can enjoy, big kids and small.

5. Connect and engage

Is there a chance for colleagues to get involved, chat amongst themselves, or ask questions? You want to make sure the activity feels social and has an element of engagement.

Merlin Events have recently introduced a new product with all of this in mind ‘Wild at Home Tours’. Families can tune in to explore WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo and SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, home to some of Australia’s adorable and interesting animals. The best part? We take care of everything. Your teams can log on, tune in, and enjoy. All we ask they bring along are any questions they might have for our knowledgeable Keepers and Aquarists. What’s to love about a Wild at Home Tour:

Bring the ocean or outback to you!

Tune in from the comfort of your home or during your daily walk and explore the underwater world of SEA LIFE or watch a Koala reach out and get up close to your screen at WILD LIFE. It is one of the best adventures you can have without having to leave the couch.

Only participate if you want….

A lot of us love to contribute, ask questions, and share our thoughts or ideas. However, with so many virtual catch ups and team meetings it is also nice to just sit back and do nothing but enjoy. During the tour those who want to engage are welcome to ask their questions in the chat box, and we offer further opportunity to engage with our Keepers in a 10-minute Q&A at the end of the tour.

Excitement for the kids
Lockdowns aren’t easy for kids, between home-schooling and not getting the chance to socialise with their friends, to wondering why mum and dad are there, but not present. With our Wild at Home tours kids are invited to join their parents “work” meeting, and will get to see some of our favourite animal friends at SEA LIFE and WILD LIFE as the Keepers and Aquarists share fun facts.

The Wild at Home Tours are just one idea to get creative with your virtual activities. Our attractions have also created lockdown resources for kids that can be found here https://www.visitsealife.com/sydney/whats-inside/wild-at-home-hub/ . This is another great way you can share activities with your teams and their families.

Now let’s go connect with our teams! Be sure to send lots of virtual claps and hug emojis for all the amazing work they are doing 😊.