A weekly meeting over coffee is a simple ritual that brings the team together to start the week.
Shared coffee at the start of the weekly meeting helps the team shift from solo work to discussion. Just prepare coffee before the meeting and leave a few minutes for informal chat before the agenda starts.
Preparation
Prepare coffee in a thermal carafe or pot before the meeting so nobody has to leave mid-way. The person on duty can rotate weekly.
A few minutes off-agenda
The first minutes over coffee are for catching up. That builds relationships without extra meetings.
When the team is large
With a bigger group, a device that serves drinks quickly works better, such as a coffee vending machine (publisher's site) near the meeting room.
FAQ
Does the ritual work for a hybrid team? Yes, remote people can join with their own mug.
What about people who do not drink coffee? Tea or water is fine. The ritual is about time together, not the drink.