How Virtual Chess Tournaments Can Boost Employee Engagement During Covid-19

Engaging Employees During Covid-19

In this era of Covid-19, it is indeed a challenge for HR professionals to keep company employees engaged. Apart from their actual job tasks, what additional measures can an HR executive take to engage them in a more meaningful way?

There are several skill-enhancing online courses available, and many employees are already enrolled. However, there are other exciting ways to keep your employees engaged—one of them is online chess competitions. Perhaps a virtual chess event could significantly contribute to keeping your employees content and connected.

Organizing Online Chess Tournaments

These online chess tournaments could last for 60 minutes or be spread across several days or weeks, depending on the need. They could be structured as a game per day, occurring at the end of the workday, and can take various formats like the Swiss league or the Arena format. Prizes or rewards could include anything from gift vouchers and goodies to vacation packages (usable once the Covid-19 pandemic eases).

Possibly, a virtual chess tournament each month could significantly contribute to maintaining employee happiness.

Your idea of hosting regular online chess tournaments is innovative and engaging. It encourages teamwork, strategic thinking, and a healthy competitive spirit among employees. Here are some steps to set up these tournaments:

- Step 1: Planning 🎵:
- Determine the frequency of the tournaments (weekly, monthly, etc.).
- Decide on the format (Swiss league, Arena, etc.).
- Plan the duration (single-day event or spread over a week).

- Step 2: Communication 🎦:
- Announce the tournament well in advance through company emails or internal communication tools.
- Explain the rules and format clearly.

- Step 3: Registration 🎧:
- Set up a simple registration process using forms or emails.

- Step 4: Execution ⏁:
- Use reliable online chess platforms like [chess.com](https://www.chess.com/) or [lichess.org](https://lichess.org/).
- Ensure that everyone understands how to use the platform before the tournament begins.

- Step 5: Prizes 🏞️:
- Decide on the prizes. Make sure they comply with your company's policies and taxation laws.

Remember, the goal is to engage employees and foster a sense of community. Be open to feedback and ready to make adjustments based on employee input. This will help ensure the initiative is well-received and successful.