There is no doubt that the digital era has brought lots of benefits to our lives and it has revolutionised the way we communicate and interact with our peers, family and friends.
However, in an age of digital technology where virtual events, video conferencing and instant messaging have become overwhelmingly present in our lives, face to face gatherings are now claiming back their space and employers and employees are appreciating more than ever the benefits and joys of having physical get togethers.
Whilst short discussions on a topic can be dealt with in a short online meeting, for more complex discussions, a face-to-face meeting would be your best choice. Have you considered the major benefits that an out of office meeting or workshop can bring to both, employer and employee? Let’s think Here are just some of the benefits.
- Keeping your team focused and productive. The change of scenery can increase productivity as employees in the office tend to get interrupted by phone calls or by their peers, becoming sidetracked and reducing employees' effectiveness. Hosting meetings in a new environment, far from these distractions, will increase employees' concentration for a focused discussion.
- Improving communication, increasing creativity and thinking out of the box. In a new and ‘neutral’ environment, the office relationship dynamics changes and the invisible boundaries between employees or project team members are blurred. Employees are more likely to interact with each other and share ideas and thoughts, feeling more comfortable cooperating with one another, sharing strategies, proposing new plans of actions and enjoying a less restrictive space.
- Boosting employees’ motivation while building loyalty and trust. Through the organisation of work sessions outside the office, the employers are sending the signal to the employees that they are committed to the success of the company and they value the employees’ contribution, increasing the motivation of the employees. The employee feels included and trusted in the work process and in the decision making of the company.
- Building stronger relationships. Face to face meetings are key to building strong relationships and improving the bond between the participants of the meeting. Physical get-togethers are also a great opportunity to engage in small talk that will allow the participants of the meeting to better connect and know each other, out of their work role and context.
- Access to Facilities and Technology: Dedicated meeting venues, like our spaces in Fountainhall Church are often equipped with audio-visual technology, comfortable seating, reliable Wi-Fi, and potentially with staff / volunteers on hand so that you have all that you need for an undisturbed meeting.
A new environment can also stimulate fresh perspectives by breaking people out of their routine thinking and patterns of thought which can sometimes dominate the office dynamics. The change of environment encourages team members to approach problems and ideas from new angles, leading to more innovative and creative possibilities.
At Fountainhall Church we are proud to have hosted many formal and informal meetings and events in the heart of the West End of Aberdeen. We enable connections across our communities through our events and the use of our spaces. The range of spaces means that Fountainhall Church can accommodate events from four people up to 350 people for concerts, AGMs, training days, workshops, clubs and societies and other activities.
In addition, at Fountainhall Church at the Cross, hirers can benefit from the hospitality services of the onsite café, Cognito at the Cross.
For more information about the spaces at Fountainhall Church, contact bookings@fountainhallchurch.org.uk or visit www.fountainhallchruch.org.uk.