Tuesday's Tip #46: Using Snap Camera and 3 Reasons You Should Have More Fun in Teams

Why It's More Than Just Fun

Having fun in Teams is more than just fun. In these strange times which are stretching out longer than any of us ever believed they would, fun is important. It's more than just fun, having a little fun in Microsoft Teams will improve engagement, increase Teams adoption and promote creativity and collaboration.

1. Improve Engagement and Morale. Feeling connected to co-workers is Not just for the mental health part of it which I think we all know we all need, but also for the team-building aspect. For many, Most of the random ways we informally communicated have been eliminated. when many of us used to work in an office we would chat before a meeting starts, running into someone when you went to get more coffee, or walking in from the parking lot at the same time, these have all been eliminated for many people. allow people to see and be reminded that we’re all individuals which helps with conflict resolution and communication, Teams is one of the ways we can foster both informal and formal communication that makes us feel connected to people both professionally and personally.
2. Increase Teams Adoption. Having some fun in Teams is also a way to make it more fun to use Microsoft Teams. If you're like many Teams users, you really just started using it around or after COVID.  Having a little fun in the app will promote your teams adoption and usage of the program and teach your colleagues to rely on it to communication each other. Using the app for fun helps people learn it in a fun and more relaxed way without the pressure of failing or trying to remember to “go to Teams”. Playing a game as a team or sharing fun/funny things or using a fun lens in a team meeting can be a fun way to get people to learn and become more familiar with Teams. It can also take the hesitation or feeling of not knowing how to use the program on the back burner and you’re most intimidated user may not even realize they’re learning teams.
   3. Improve Productivity and Collaboration. Exchange of knowledge and promotes creativity.  Having fun is linked with the part of the brain that promotes creativity. Whether we are trying to find creative solutions as an accountant or engineer or designing a graphic, creativity is important for all roles. It used to be seen that productivity and fun were opposites, in a recent study by BrightHR fun in the workplace is linked to lower stress, higher productivity and less sick days. Besides, lets be honest, aren't you enjoying your meetings a little more and less stressed when someone's image is an alien? Who wouldn't.

Using Snap Camera in Teams

Snap Camera is an app that can be downloaded. It's by the same company that does SnapChat (of course). It allows you to access the Snap Camera in Teams to enjoy some of the fun and funny backgrounds, lenses etc.

It is a separate download and a program that has to be installed - so ask your IT department about it or get the required permissions. It does appear to be safe - even Microsoft mentions it on their website but to be clear, it is not a Microsoft app. As a disclaimer, I am not endorsing or ensuring the safety of this app.

1. Download and install SnapCamera.
   
   
2. Open the app, browse through and find a lens to use.
   
   
3. In Teams, click on your picture in the right hand corner, then Settings.
   
   
4. In the Settings menu, click Devices, Camera. Select Snap Camera from the list. Note to undo this at any point, you just go back and select the default camera.
   

Using Snap Camera with a Lens

• Now to use the lens in a meeting, simply go to start a meeting and you will see the current lens. 
• To change the lens, switch back to the Snap Camera app, and select a new lens. The changes will update immediately.

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