CoffeePals Blog

The Beginner's Guide to Virtual Communication in the Workplace

Unravel the mysteries of virtual communication in the workplace with our beginner's guide. Learn to overcome challenges in virtual teams, the importance of coffee chats, and how to use digital tools effectively. Step into the future of communication with optimism and confidence.

Chris Carnduff

June 1, 2023

May 2023 🌻 - CoffeePals Product Updates

CoffeePals brings exciting updates: Icebreakers in the Match Card, Automated Scheduling [Beta], SOC2 Type 2 Compliance, and Bug Fixes. Start conversations easily with icebreaker questions, automate meeting scheduling, and enjoy enhanced data security. We've also addressed bugs and improved the user experience. Share your feedback and suggestions as we strive to connect your workplace better. Join CoffeePals today!

Chris Carnduff

May 17, 2023

Exploring the Disadvantages of Virtual Communication

In this article, we delve into the downsides of virtual communication and how it affects our personal and professional relationships.

Chris Carnduff

May 4, 2023

Overcoming the Challenges of Virtual Communication

In today's digital age, virtual communication has become the norm. However, it comes with its own set of challenges.

Chris Carnduff

May 4, 2023

April 2023 🌱 - CoffeePals Product Update

Learn about our new exclusion preferences. Ensure that you don't match with someone you already know well!

Chris Carnduff

April 4, 2023

March 2023 ❄️ - CoffeePals Product Update

The CoffeePals team has added several new features to improve participant's experience. They have introduced smart reminders, team match summary notification, new match overview graph, match history, coffee maker notifications, match leaders, match message templates, and completed the Microsoft 365 App Compliance Program. They have also fixed bugs and made minor improvements to the user experience.

Chris Carnduff

March 15, 2023

January 2023 ☃️ - CoffeePals Product Update

Learn about our new Custom Coffee Maker Questions feature and other important January updates.

Chris Carnduff

February 3, 2023

2023 Employee Retention Strategies: Proven Ideas to Reduce Turnover and Boost Morale

Unlock the secrets behind employee turnover and retain your top talent . Discover the specific reasons for turnover in your company through data and feedback from current and former employees. Learn strategies for addressing poor management, lack of career development opportunities, low pay and benefits, and poor work-life balance. Take action and keep your team happy for the long haul.

Chris Carnduff

January 27, 2023

How to Create a D&I Initiative (With Examples)

In this blog post, I discuss the importance of diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiatives in the modern workplace. I note that 67% of job seekers consider workplace diversity an important factor in job searches and that D&I initiatives are becoming increasingly common as companies seek to challenge systemic racism, sexism, and ableism. I also highlight the benefits of D&I initiatives, such as reduced employee turnover and the ability to attract top talent. I provide an overview of what D&I initiatives are and the different types of initiatives that can be implemented, as well as the need for continued progress in this area.

Chris Carnduff

January 19, 2023

101 of Employee Resource Groups: Guides, Governance Structure, Activities and FAQ

This article provides a comprehensive overview of ERGs, including their purpose, structure, activities, and frequently asked questions. It may be useful for employees who are interested in getting involved in an ERG, or for organizations that are considering establishing an ERG or supporting existing ones.

Chris Carnduff

December 22, 2022

CoffeePals vs. FikaTime Bot: Features, Pricing and User Experience

In this article, I provide information about virtual coffee apps, specifically CoffeePals and FikaTime, and how they can be used to facilitate communication and connection among employees, including through features like matching employees for virtual coffee meetings and providing mental health support. It compares the two apps in terms of their features and how they differ in their focus on building lasting relationships and company culture versus practical features and mental health support. We help you understand the benefits and differences of these virtual coffee apps and how they can be used to improve collaboration and team bonding in a remote work environment.

Chris Carnduff

December 21, 2022

December 2022 🧑‍🎄 - CoffeePals Product Updates

Where has 2022 gone? Time flies doesn't it? The CoffeePals team has been working hard and is excited to announce our latest release, including a highly requested feature: one-click match scheduling!

Chris Carnduff

December 9, 2022

Summer 2022 ☀️ - CoffeePals Product Update

Chris Carnduff

December 8, 2022

Questions to Ask During a Networking Coffee Chat

A networking coffee chat is a casual meeting between two professionals who are interested in building connections and sharing knowledge and expertise. These meetings are typically held over coffee or a similar beverage and provide an opportunity for professionals to connect, learn from each other, and explore potential opportunities for collaboration and support. Networking coffee chats are often seen as an informal alternative to traditional networking events and can help professionals advance their careers, build their networks, and gain valuable insights and perspectives.

Chris Carnduff

December 6, 2022

CoffeePals Vs. Lead Bot: Features, Pricing and User Experience

I’ll take you through two of the most popular options for you to consider: CoffeePals and Lead. Both apps have excellent features that make them user-friendly and can hugely benefit company engagement and interaction. Although they share a similar end goal of improving company social interaction, both platforms have variations that make them unique and stand out.

Chris Carnduff

December 2, 2022

The Ultimate Guide for Virtual Coffee and Employee Matching Apps For Microsoft Teams

In this guide, we'll give you a detailed comparison of all the employee matching applications in Microsoft Teams. You'll find details on top features, benefits, pricing and security. This will help you choose the best application for your organization.

Chris Carnduff

November 24, 2022

Virtual Employee Appreciation Ideas that Don't Suck

Employees are spending more time doing remote work and less time working in person, which means companies have to find new ways to connect with their people. And that includes coming up with new ways to implement employee recognition and appreciation ideas that fit the current environment.

Chris Carnduff

October 11, 2022

(Actually) Fun Virtual Icebreakers for Remote Teams & Meetings

When you're working remotely, it's important to find ways to connect with your team. While video chats and conference calls are a great way to stay connected, they can often be a little bit...stuffy. That's where virtual icebreakers come in.

Chris Carnduff

October 11, 2022

Hybrid Meetings: How to Run Them Productively

Are you tired of the same old meeting routine? Tired of sitting in a room with a bunch of people, staring at a screen and sharing PowerPoints? In this article, we tell you how to run an effective hybrid meeting and actionable tips that you can use to make the most out of the time you share with participants.

Chris Carnduff

October 11, 2022

(2023) Actionable Microsoft Team Hacks to Boost Productivity

You’re probably already using Microsoft Teams to chat and video conference with remote colleagues and think you know everything there is to know about the app. But Teams features tons of brilliant functionality that even experienced users don’t know about. In this guide, we’ll help you discover some mind-blowing Microsoft team hacks and tricks that will help you make the most of your video calls. 

Chris Carnduff

March 18, 2023

(2023) Fun Hybrid Team Building Activities to Boost Morale

Although hybrid work brings great flexibility, it also means that team members don’t experience the same camaraderie and day-to-day interactions enjoyed by on-site workers. This can leave remote workers feeling lonely and isolated. In this article, we take a look at some team-building activities that will help to keep your remote employees engaged and motivated.

Chris Carnduff

March 18, 2023

(2023) Actionable Tips For Leading Remote Teams

Sparking engagement, encouraging collaboration, building a culture — elements of leadership like these can be difficult at a distance. In this post, we share 7 tips for leading remote teams that you can use to become a better leader no matter where in the world your team finds itself.

Chris Carnduff

March 18, 2023

Top 5 Practices for Working Across Different Time Zones

Have a diverse organization that’s scattered across the world? Then, you’ll want to read these top 5 practices for working across different time zones.

Chris Carnduff

November 22, 2022

Important Factors to Consider If You Want to Be a Virtual Worker

Like any other job, there are challenges. You’ll need to be self-motivated, proactive, and have organizational skills. Not all remote jobs are perfect, so you’ll need to consider a couple of factors before looking for one. 

Chris Carnduff

January 28, 2023

(2023) 10 Ground Rules for Virtual Meetings

There is no doubt that a virtual meeting is an excellent way to connect with remote stakeholders, co-workers, and clients. However, due to obstacles such as not setting an agenda, software issues, and lack of communication, conducting a virtual meeting can come with its challenges. 

Chris Carnduff

March 18, 2023

(2023) 5 Hybrid Work Model Examples For Inspiration

There are many benefits of the hybrid work model. For instance, it increases productivity at work, improves culture and employee satisfaction, offers better collaboration, and supports mental health. In this discourse, let’s explore five popular hybrid work model examples, some best practices, and how to decide on a model that suits your organization.

Chris Carnduff

March 18, 2023

(2023) Top 5 Ways of Engaging Remote Employees

Remote work isn't without its challenges. It can be difficult to create a sense of camaraderie and connection when everyone is working from different locations, and that means it's easy for employees to feel isolated and disengaged. So, how can you keep your remote employees engaged? In this article, CoffeePals will be sharing a few of our favourite remote employee engagement ideas.

Chris Carnduff

March 18, 2023

(2023) Best Microsoft teams apps to build hybrid company culture

What are the best Microsoft Teams apps to build company culture? Which integrations for hybrid work benefit the workforce? In this article, we will outline our six favorites and how to choose the right one for your organization. 

Chris Carnduff

March 18, 2023

(2023) Virtual coffee chat questions to enhance your networking

With vacancies for remote roles on LinkedIn increasing 350% from 2020 to 2021, informal virtual coffee chats have become the standard for many businesses, brands, and organizations. Today we’ll take a closer look at what a virtual coffee chat entails, some example questions to get you started, and some pro communication tips, so you always make a great first impression.

Chris Carnduff

March 18, 2023

(2023) How to encourage virtual coffee meetings in your organization

With no more spontaneous morning chats in the staff room or shared lunches, virtual coffee meetings are the perfect way to connect your employees and encourage communication.Today, CoffeePals will take a closer look at what a virtual coffee meeting is, how it can benefit your staff, and ways to encourage virtual coffee meetings in your organization.

Mae Woods

March 18, 2023

(2022) The 101 on Microsoft Teams Breakout Rooms

Microsoft Teams enables meetings with up to 1,000 participants. This vast capacity is perfect for large conferences, general team meetings for large organizations, and important company-wide presentations. ‍Microsoft Teams breakout rooms are the perfect solution to this problem, as they allow for smaller groups within a larger meeting to form, meet, talk, and report back to the larger group. Many managers are wondering how to create breakout rooms in teams, and we have your complete guide here. ‍

Mae Woods

October 11, 2022

(2022) Virtual Team Celebration Ideas & Best Practices

While remote work may be convenient, there are many disadvantages to working from home. For example, you wouldn't enjoy those celebratory office events anymore, right? Wrong. There are different ways to have team celebrations online.

Chris Carnduff

October 11, 2022

(2022) What is Virtual Mentoring? Benefits and Best Practices

What is Virtual mentoring? What are its benefits? What are some good practices organizations should follow for successful virtual mentorship programs? In this article, we’ll delve into everything you need to know about virtual mentoring. Let’s go!

Chris Carnduff

October 11, 2022

(2022) Virtual Communication: Challenges & Best Practices

As employees have discovered the benefits of working remotely, teams must understand how to thrive in this era. According to a Pew Research Center study, 60% of respondents with a job they can do from home would prefer to continue that way. Therefore, employers should be equipped to handle these changes. This article will teach you how to get virtual communication right in a remote workplace.

Chris Carnduff

November 22, 2022

(2022) Virtual Onboarding 101: Ideas, Tools, Checklist & Best Practices

So, what is virtual onboarding, what are the known challenges, and how can you improve virtual onboarding and the new hire experience? We provide answers to these questions and more.

Chris Carnduff

October 11, 2022

(2022) Water Cooler Talk and Best Practices

Looking to implement virtual water cooler? In this brief article, we’ll take a look at the meaning of water cooler talk, review its benefits for your business, and go over some basic water cooler talk topics and etiquette. By the end, you should be more than prepared to empower your employees with connectivity and relationship.

Chris Carnduff

October 11, 2022

(2022) Virtual Lunch Guide: Best Practices & Topics

In this brief virtual lunch guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about virtual lunches, from what they are to how to conduct one. By the end, you should be fully equipped to host a great virtual lunch for your team. So, let’s get started.

Chris Carnduff

October 11, 2022

How To Make MS Teams Memes (Plus Examples!)

Memes have slowly been working their way into mainstream business culture for a while now. Twitter is full of examples of brands using memes to boost engagement on social media, build community, and relate with a younger audience… with varying degrees of success. The CoffeePals team has had a ton of fun trying the Teams meme feature out, and we thought we'd make a guide to spread the word. We'll be explaining how you go about creating memes in MS Teams, along with some examples you can use for inspiration.

Chris Carnduff

October 11, 2022

(2022) Remote Collaboration: Tools & Best Practices For Virtual Collaboration

In a nutshell, remote collaboration (a.k.a., virtual collaboration) is working with others on a project or task without being in the same physical space. This can be done using a variety of tools and methods, which we will explore in this article.With so many people now working remotely, it's more important than ever to have the right tools and best practices in place for virtual collaboration. By understanding the different options available and how to make the most of them, you can ensure that your team can work together effectively no matter where they are in the world.So, let's take a look at the different tools and methods for remote collaboration, as well as some tips on how to get the most out of them.

Chris Carnduff

October 11, 2022

(2022) Virtual coffee guide: ideas, questions & best practices

Do you ever wonder how you could sit at your chair, in the comfort of your home, staring at a screen, and still somehow feel exhausted? We’re going to share exactly how teams can have virtual coffee breaks to improve workplace relationships and be more productive.

Chris Carnduff

October 11, 2022

5 Ways Companies Benefit From Random Coffee Chats: How to create better relationships in your remote team

Chris Carnduff

November 22, 2022