Post-pandemic office socialising: Are you game on for the office evolution?

20th October 2021Research & Insights

As many make the long-awaited return to the office, after months of homeworking and zoom meetings, the office is set to become the new place to socialise.  But is your office set-up for post-pandemic office socialising?

Many companies are embracing hybrid working – mixing home and office working – to give employees more flexibility and improve wellbeing.  This means that we’re seeing an evolution in the role of the workspace to facilitate increased human connection: Less solo offices where workers are shut away and more break out rooms and expanded socialising spaces to foster collaboration and teambuilding; creativity and conversations; or as Google put it ‘facilitate casual collisions’.

If you’re an employer looking to switch things up, what can you do to foster creativity, help employees reconnect and build better working relationships?  Ever considered getting your game on with some competitive socialising and introducing a shuffleboard to your office?

SHUFL. already partners with several businesses and co-working spaces across Europe to supply shuffleboards as part of the office set-up.  Here’s how one gaming start-up is realising the benefits of gamification and introducing shuffleboard:

Video game company d3t has recently installed a 9ft SHUFL. table in their new office in Runcorn, Cheshire. The table is designed to increase staff creativity, productivity and wellbeing. SHUFL supplied a custom table with a matt black finish to suit their modern decor.

A spokesperson from d3t explains: “We’re a gaming company so we’re already sold on the benefits of gamification for businesses. As a tech-led enterprise, we appreciate how a physical shuffleboard table allows our employees to take a break away from screens, relieve stress and let off some steam. We’re also looking to use the shuffleboard for creative sessions and teambuilding. We see it as part of our company culture and employer brand.”

Check out our tried and tested benefits of installing a shuffleboard in the workplace:

  • Increased productivity – playing a game like shuffleboard gives your brain a break forcing workers to step away from their desks and relieve some stress increasing employees’ wellness. A game of shuffleboard with a colleague takes around X minutes so it’s the perfect ‘micro’ break to get employees back on track.
  • Fostering community – coming into the office post-covid is going to be about engaging and interacting with colleagues. Playing a game of shuffleboard encourages teambuilding and collaboration – skills that have been neglected in the forced isolation of homeworking.
  • Building skills – shuffleboard can be played in teams with strategizing to beat the opponents so it helps employees practice communication, problem solving and adaptability.
  • Inspiring fresh ideas – gaming breaks encourage creativity and allow for passive thinking time.
  • Introducing a gamification tool – teams can hold meetings around a shuffleboard and complete challenges. The SHUFL. Bank Shot, with its compact set-up and option to add-on side bars is a great choice for gathering the team together and injecting some creativity and energy into a team meeting.

Find out more about how shuffleboard can be part of a corporate wellbeing package or a flexible workspace offer here.

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